Isolation
by SmokinAK47
Summary: COMPLETE! Set in 1984, after a falling boulder crushes Eric's right arm, Eric becomes trapped and completely isolated in a canyon, hundreds of miles from home, and no one knowing where he is, he embarks on a personal journey in which he relies on the memo
1. Home Coming

_My story 'In Your Place' got deleted, and I don't know how. I'm really pissed off about that, I have had this one in mind for quite a while, so I figured I would write this one. This is set after season 8, it is inspired by the film '127 Hours', and the events that happened to Aron Ralston, but a That 70s Show version. ____will write some scenes later in the story, I will point out when her work is used in that chapter. I hope you like it..._

_**New Year's Eve, 1979 11:42pm...**_

Eric saw Donna sitting on the hood, staring at the driveway floor, she seemed to be thinking about something, Eric walked up, "Hey, Donna.", Eric greeted he didn't really know how to greet her giving everything that has happened.

Donna slid off the hood, "Eric." Donna simply stated.

"Yeah, sorry I'm late. I know someone in the airlines and he got me plane ride here. I didn't miss New Years, ya know" Eric replied, Donna didn't look much different at all, she looked beautiful.

"Yeah." Donna said simply, Eric thought that was a bit odd. Donna couldn't belive how good Eric looked, he had much more muscle, his hair was shaggier. He looked great as well.

Eric paused and looked down and sighed, "Look, Donna. I'm sorry how it ended, it isn't how I wanted it to." Eric said, Donna simply nodded, she still had anger towards Eric.

Donna held up her hand, "Eric, don't even go on. Things are a lot different now, I even start college next week. We're done." Donna stated, as she truly meant it.

"No I know, Donna. I just wanted to say I was sorry. I don't want to hold you back again." Eric said, walking to the hood, and taking a seat on the hood.

Donna sat down next to him, "Again?" she asked him curiously.

"Oh, don't play dumb. You could've gone to college way earlier then next week. I held you back, Donna." Eric replied sincearly.

Donna sighed, "Yeah, but we have to move on with our lives though, Eric. I'm not sure if you're still gonna teach, but I'm going to college and I'm gonna make something of myself." Donna stated, confidently in her woman-strong tone.

Eric put a hand on her back, "And I hope you do, Donna. Really, I do. But it's New Years, let's go have some fun." Eric replied with a smile.

Donna laughed, "Yeah, sounds good to me." Donna said sliding off the hood.

Eric sighed as he picked up his bag, "I wish there was some way to take the edge off." Eric joked.

Donna turned around, "Well, Hyde is out looking for some 'stuff', you can have some when he gets back." Donna teased.

Eric laughed and picked up his bag, and walked to the sliding door, he knew there would too much hugging and crying from his mother, nothing from his father but a grunt. Fez and Kelso with their bear hugs, Jackie wouldn't do anything but read her magazine or whatever she was doing and not notice him. Eric sighed and went into his long lost home.

_**1984 Point Place, Wisconsin...**_

Kitty got dinner ready while Red sat at the table, "Kitty, I sick of waiting for those damn kids, just let me eat my food already." Red pratically begged, Eric was supposed to be here earlier for dinner, but the dumbass wasn't anywhere. And Jackie was supposed to be 10 minutes ago, she seem to hanging out here even more then any other time.

Kitty set a bowl of mash potatoes on the table, "No, Red. We have company coming over, and it's not often we do since you scare everybody off." Kitty replied, sitting down.

"That isn't true!" Red defended himself, Kitty glared at him, "Yes, you do. Now, Eric doesn't vist here much anymore, so be nice and no 'foot in ass' remarks. And Jackie is the sweetest thing, so don't be a grouch." Kitty warned him, Eric was always out and around the country, despite his 'Traveling Documenary Film-Making' phase faded, Eric still loves to film his endevours he goes on. Which mostly consisted of hiking and canyoneering. Kitty was proud of her son and that he found a great hobby, she only wished she saw more of him...

Jackie on the other hand, always was around helping the family with household chores ever since Eric moved out. Jackie only did the chores Red himself couldn't do, Red was old school, he _built _the old school, he has the blueprints in the garage. But he was getting old, so he needed help with a few things.

Red groaned, "The one time that boy visits, and he is late. _And _Laurie drank the rest of my beer on her little visit." Red complained, Kitty knew this was some sort of venting/showing his feelings in a way.

"Red, the reason he doesn't visit is because you were too hard on him...and you still are. I don't think he needs that right now." Kitty suddenly had an ephiany, she scooted closer to the table, Red noticed and knew when his wife did that, she was on to something.

Kitty was about to speak when Jackie slid the patio door, "Oh, God. I'm sorry I'm late Mrs. Forman, I had to do a deal on records at Grooves, and it was a speacial shipment." Jackie stated as she slid her coat off, and took her seat at the table.

"Oh, that's fine, Jackie. We're still waiting on Eric anyway." Kitty replied, Jackie looked at Mrs. Forman.

"Eric? Eric's gonna be here?" Jackie asked, her heart dropped, she didn't want to see Eric, not after the 'incident'.

Kitty mistook Jackie's sullen reaction, as exited, "I know! I'm exited too. He said he put off some hiking in this area in Neveda to come see us for dinner. It really means alot to me he would do that, it seems that's all he does nowadays." Kitty replied, with a hint of sadness at the end.

Jackie was relutant to say this, "Mrs. Forman, I didn't know Eric was gonna be here, can we have dinner some other time?" Jackie asked, she didn't feel like explaing why.

Kitty looked even more sad now, "Jackie, please stay. I know you and Eric were never good friends, but even if the two of you are here, it brings back good memories." Kitty pleaded.

Jackie sighed, "Okay, I'll stay." Jackie replied sweetly.

Kitty breathed a sigh of relief, "Great! I'll tell you, if I had another dinner alone with my grumpy husband, I swear I'll have me Long Island with dinner." Kitty joked.

Red looked up from his plate, "Kitty, you would have a Long Island regardless." Red shot back.

Kitty turned to Jackie, "See what I mean?" Kitty whisperd to Jackie, Jackie stiffled a laugh.

"Kitty, you said no 'foot-in-ass' threats today...so don't push me." Red warned, as he eat his food.

Suddenly the sliding door opened up, Eric stepped in the kitchen in an orange shirt, cargo shorts, and a backpack which was slightly bigger then most, assuming it was for his hiking and whatnot.

"Hey, I'm sorry I'm late you guys." Eric said taking off his backpack and setting it on the counter, Kitty jumped up and screamed, "My baby is here!" she said hugging him and no intention of letting him go, she had not seen him in months.

Eric jerked his head to his father, "A little help, dad?" Eric asked, he had still not noticed Jackie, who had been sitting at the table, admiring how well Eric looked since the last time she saw him, that 'incident'.

Red laughed, "Why would I help you? You kept me waiting for my dinner longer then I had to." Red replied, "Well, I got you beer." Eric stated.

Red got up from his seat, "Okay Kitty, don't smother the boy." Red stated prying his wife off Eric, Jackie had to laugh at that spetacal.

Eric recognized that laugh anywhere, he turned around to Jackie, hotter then ever, "Hey...nobody said you were gonna be here." Eric stated, as Kitty went to make Eric his dinner plate.

Jackie simply shook her head, "Yeah, no one told me either..." Jackie replied, if that incident didn't happen it wouldn't be awkward at all, but it did happen and it was awkward.

Eric wanted to avoid anymore awkwardness, he reached in his backpack and gave dad his beer and sighed, "Okay, I'm gonna go change out of these clothes. You can eat without me, I won't be long." Eric said as he picked up his stuff and rushed through the swinging doors, and went up to his room.

_**10 Minutes later...**_

Eric came through the swinging doors, having put on new clean clothes, a simple white T shirt, stone washed pants, and some all black PF Flyers, even though Jackie was still mad at him, but she admitted he looked good.

Eric sat down at the table, next to his mother, while Jackie sat next to Red, they all made 'dinner talk', Jackie explained that she bought the Grooves store, right after Hyde went to Milwaukee. Eric had no problem admitting Jackie was doing very well.

"And that's why I was late, I wasn't gonna let my rival 'Vinyl Countdown' steal my music, although I would've let them take em, if ABBA _wasn't _in with the deal." Jackie said, drinking the beer Eric brought.

"So, Eric. What have you been up to?" Jackie asked him, Eric didn't know if it was condescending, or if it was out of curiousity.

Red and Kitty turned to Eric, "It better be good." Red warned him, "We never see you, and it better not be some dumbass reason, either." Red stated.

Eric grinned, "Sorry, dad. I just didn't know you missed me so much around here. And based on how much you let me know how much you wanted me out of the house, I didn't think you would mind." Eric teased, Jackie and Kitty couldn't help but laugh.

Red had brought a gun to a fight with no bullets, "I didn't miss you, I just got sick of Kitty yammering on about you." Red shot back.

Eric laughed, "No dad, it's okay to miss your son," Eric teased, "But since you asked, I live in a condo in Nevada, I know that's far but I find myself happy there. And I have a stake in a casino there. I work in mangement." Eric stated, everyone at the table were pretty shocked.

"A casino?! Eric, that's amazing. But I still don't like you so far away, my baby is in Nevada!" Kitty complained with a look like she would cry, Red had to agree with a casino job being amazing, "Wow, Eric. I thought you would be at a dead end job, like selling woman's shoes. I'm impressed, you have it made, don't you?" Red relied, Eric was happy his father approved of what he did, Eric wanted to say something about his father's likeness in what he did, but based on passed experiences, he wouldn't want to ruin that. Or as his father put it, _"What; are you gonna ruin this by talking?" _

Eric continued, "I love the casino job, no doubt. But it took some time and effort along with work to get it up to a great ranking in Vegas. When I went in, I thought it was a case of opening the doors and letting suckers give you their money." Eric told everyone at the table, looking at Jackie, she seemed to be the most 'intrigued' with his explaining, Eric wasn't sure if she was truly interested, or if there was something more to it.

Red laughed at what Eric last said, "If only. Well what other stuff is there to do there?" Red asked.

"Well, bribing off the usual authorities, which is legal, mind you. Going and getting slot machines, too much to mention." Eric finished.

"Hmm. I can't see you driving the Vista Crusier with most of the money you're making, I only hope you've got a new car." Red replied, Jackie and Kitty turned their heads to hear Eric's answer.

"Well, you're right. I own a Black Ford Bronco, I still own the Vista Crusier, it has too much sentimental value." Eric responded.

Red groaned, "Oh, son, a Ford? You should've gotten a Chevy." Red complained, Kitty was sullen that Red would complain about something like that.

Eric laughed, "Dad, I hike a lot, that car has the best off road capabilities. I'm sure it could out-do the Toyota you have, dad." Eric shotback with a grin, Kitty and Jackie didn't think Eric own his dad in a conversation about cars!

Red smiled, "Okay, son. You got me, you know what? Let's see how good your Bronco really is on the road." Red suggested, drinking the last of his beer.

Eric laughed again, "Is that okay, mom?" Eric asked.

Kitty did her trademark laugh, "Of course, Eric. You go on, now." Kitty replied.

Red and Eric finished their food, and headed out the door, leaving Jackie and Kitty in the kitchen.

Kitty laughed, "I'm glad to see that they are bonding." Kitty stated to Jackie.

"Yeah well, they making up for lost time since Eric ran away like a coward." Jackie replied coldly.

Kitty wasn't expecting Jackie's candor, "Jackie...ever since you found out Eric was coming over for dinner, you have been...just weird. I know you were never friends, but even in the old days, you treated him better. What happend between you two?" Kitty asked, Jackie looked over to her.

"Nothing." Jackie lied.

Kitty snorted, "God, even Laurie's a better liar then you." Kitty stated, getting up to put the dishes in the sink.

Jackie turned in her chair, "I'm not lying, Mrs, Forman." Jackie said in warning tone, making it sound true.

"Whatever you say, Jackie." Kitty said, Jackie groaned and got up from her seat, "I'm gonna watch SNL." Jackie stated, walking past Kitty into the living room.

_11:26 pm..._

Jackie woke up on the couch, SNL credits were rolling, and she had fallen asleep, she thought Eric had to have left by now, she sat up slowly, she cracked her neck and stood up to head upstairs.

Once upstairs, she figured the Forman's wouldn't mind her sleeping there, she thought she could sleep in Eric's room, she had slept in there before...she noticed the light was on under the door.

She figured Kitty was in there, she opened the door to see Eric lifting his suitcase onto his bed, "Eric? What are doing here?" Jackie asked, it sounded more heated then intended.

Eric turned and laughed, "Well, this is my room, Jackie." Eric replied normally.

Jackie scoffed, "I know, but you were supposed to leave already." Jackie shot back, taking a step forward.

Eric gave her his full attention by facing her, "Why the hell are you being so hostile towards me?" Eric retorted, turning back to his bed, "God damn." Eric said under his breath.

Jackie was livid, "Eric, it was one thing for _you _to be here for dinner, but you staying here for the night is out of the question." Jackie said coldly, crossing her arms.

"Jackie, you don't live here, so don't be telling me what to do." Eric said, turning back to her.

Jackie laughed sarcastically, "Right now, I have more of a say then you do." Jackie replied heatedly.

"What?" Eric asked, that was the stupidest thing he had ever heard.

Jackie stepped forward and pushed him, "You think you can come back after everything you did, and have everything be okay, you never come here to see your parents; they missed you like hell, you're so fucking selfish, taking off for your own selfish ways. Not caring who you hurt, you are an asshole." Jackie shot back.

Eric was now more pissed then Jackie, "What? You are just as a bad person as you 'think' I was, you did just as much as I did, Jackie." Eric responded, Jackie looked shocked, "What?!" Jackie yelled back.

Eric scoffed, "God, you are just like Donna. You think guys can be assholes, and girls can't. If you came in here to be a bitch, like normal, just leave." Eric stated, turning back to his suitcase.

Jackie stepped forward and yanked back his shoulder, "No! You leave, you being here right now, it just makes everything worse." Jackie stated.

"God, is there any winning with you? If I _am _here, you don't want me here. And when I'm _not_, you say I should be." Eric retorted, thinking that would end it.

"Did I ever say I wanted you here, huh? The only reason Red was nice to you is because Kitty made him, otherwise things would be just the same as the day you left." Jackie shot back, what she didn't know is that was more hurtful then she intended. And Eric _was _hurt, she watched as he stood there, lookiing down, and took it all in, "Fine." Eric whispered, he brushed by Jackie, without saying another word, and not even grabbing his things. Jackie regretted saying all that, it wasn't true, but it was in the heat of the moment.

Minutes passed as Jackie stood in Eric's room, she then knew she should apologize to him, she went out of his room, and wanted to stop him, before he left again. She went into the kitchen, his backpack was no longer on the counter where it last was, she went to the front sliding doors and saw his Ford Bronco she never saw, was gone once again...

_Thanks a lot for reading the first chapter of 'Isolation'! I really wanted to start this out with Eric in the canyons and whatnot, but I thought this gives a little more background to the story, and be more fun to write and for the reader as to what the details were with Eric and his family situation, and with Jackie, and have you guess a little about what happened. The next chapter will be very long, and later on, __**Topher girl0102, **__will write some dialogue later on in the story, and I'm very exited about that...PLEASE REVIEW, I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW THIS WAS SO FAR..._


	2. Isolation Begins

_I would like to say thanks to the people who read the first chapter, and for the positve feedback, I really appreciated it. No copyright infringement is intended to the film '127 Hours'. Here is the second chapter..._

_**12:30pm, the next day...**_

Eric had drove all the way home, he didn't need to think twice about staying there, not after what Jackie said to him. Eric hit the steering wheel in frustration so many times on the way home, he wouldn't admit some of the stuff Jackie said was true. But Eric had grown a habbit of just sliding stuff under the carpet, this is how he got into hiking and canyoneering; no would judge him, he could be left alone for as long as he needed to. It was now Friday, and the Eric didn't have to work until Monday, and going home would get his mind off of things as always. He finally parked in front of his condo in Nevada, he thought once he got there he would feel rainbows in his chest, but now it felt tainted since he had been back to his real home in Point Place. Eric sat in his truck, he didn't want to be here, he didn't want to go back to his old home in Point Place, Eric chuckled as the expression; _'Between a rock, and a hard place'_ actaully applied to him.

A light bulb went off in his head, as he had the idea to go hiking, like he always does when he is bored, but most of the time it's for fun. He made plans to go to this place in Utah in about 2 weeks. He had read about this 'au-natural' hidden pool right there in Utah's Canyonlands, Eric had _**only read**_ about it on purpose. He wanted to have that great feeling of seeing something for the first time, especially when it comes to an hidden pool, and he thought it was very much worth it. So Eric decided that his plans for Utah would be pushed forward to right now. It felt good to in charge of his own schedule.

He reached for his glove compartment and opened it for his flashlight, he grabbed and switched the light on, he peered in the back to see all his equpiment was still in there in the truck bed from his last trip, his backpack was in there as well, he was grateful he hadn't forgot it at his old home, he was surprised he did, since he was in such a hurry to get out of there. He estimated he would be in Utah in about 8 hours, he would get there at about 8:30, make camp in his Bronco and sleep there. Ready to go in the morning. He put his Bronco in reverse and headed to Utah, making a fatal mistake of not letting anyone know where he was heading.

_**1:56pm, Point Place, Wisconsin...**_

Jackie opened her eyes, she had fellen asleep in Eric's bed last night. She didn't sleep much last night, she thought Eric would have come back after a while but he never did, and casue of all the stuff on her mind. "_Eric's back in town for like, 3 hours, and already makes me feel like crap agian!" _Jackie thought to herself, she raised herself up, she glanced at Eric's alarm clock and it read _**2:00**_. She couldn't even process how late it was, she always woke up early. _And_ she was late for work, she was supposed to open the record store like 5 hours ago! And there is no excuse for being that late, there would always be a good lie if she was 15 minutes late. She then calmed herself as she seemed to forget she owned the place, and since she was so uptight about the store, one late day wouldn't run her out of buisness.

Once Jackie got up and stretched, she went downstairs to head out to work, she rushed down the stairs, to see Red on the couch watching some WW1 documentary, Red seemed alarmed by Jackie's prescence.

Red shifted to face her, "What are you doing here? I thought you left for work already!" Red stated.

Jackie stopped, "I know, I overslept. So I gotta go, I might come by later, okay?" Jackie replied, rushing through the swinging doors to the kitchen, Red waved it off and went back to his movie on TV.

Once in the kitchen, Jackie noticed Kitty just sitting at the table, Jackie approached her, "Are you okay?" she asked.

Kitty looked up, "Oh, I don't know where Eric is, I thought maybe he went out in the morning for something. Did you see him this morning?" Kitty asked, she appeared very concerned, and Jackie felt guilty.

"Uh, well I...spoke with him last night." Jackie replied, knowing that 'spoke' was the farthest thing from what actually happened.

Kitty suddenly was worried, "What happened?" Kitty asked.

Jackie didn't want to give riddles and whatnot, so she just decided to say it, "I didn't know Eric was spending the night, so when I woke up, I went upstairs to sleep in his room. And he was in there, and I yelled and said I didn't want him to be here at all." Jackie stated, more nervous then ever.

Kitty sighed, "Jackie, just tell me what happened between you two." Kitty replied, Jackie stutterd as how to explain it.

Kitty noticed this and decided not to go further, "Okay, Jackie. You don't have to tell me now, but I still want to hear soon. And I want you to fix this with Eric, you two are adults and shouldn't be acting like you're in High School." Kitty said, Jackie's body language seem to say that she was grateful.

There was then a awkward pause, Kitty did her trademark laugh, "I'll go do the laundry!" Kitty said as she got up, Jackie just laughed and then didn't want to think about anything else but getting to work. She would put everything else behind her until after work, she would call Eric and apologize later.

_**5:00pm, Grooves, Point Place, Wisconsin...**_

Jackie sighed as she stood behind her counter, she knew buisness would pick up at night. Dumb kids would come in hopefully looking for some music for some party they were heading to. But right now, no one was in here store. Why is it that everybody else had plans? She looked around for something to do, maybe clean up, but she had already done that earlier. Soft music played in the background as she glanced towards the phone, a thought that she should call Eric right now and apologize, she strangely knew his number by heart, even though she almost never called it. She would always look at it, sitting by the phone ready to dial it, but could never bring herself to do call him after what happened. This was no different, as she put it off again.

The sound of broken glass as the intro of the song 'The Message' by Grandmaster Flash, broke her out of her daydream, as it played over the speakers. This song stuck out to her more as it was a damn good song, and it was one of Eric's favorite songs. She laughed aloud as she never thought he would be one to like rap, but this song would stick on you. She thought it was ironic that _this _song had to play, right when she was thinking of Eric. Jackie considerd this some sort of sign she just call and apologize, she sighed as she picked up the phone and dialed his number, it felt weird actually dailing his number.

The line rang and rang, she tapped her foot as she waited, she suddenly heard a quick beep, _Who doesn't have a greeting message?_, Jackie thought.

"Hey, Eric. It's me...um, I didn't want to do this over a message, but I wanted to say I was sorry about what I said last night. It just came out all at once. Just, I don't know, call me when you get this...bye." Jackie stated as she hung up the phone, she knew she should've left a better message. The song enterd her ears again as she listned to the lyrics;

_It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder _

_How I keep from going under _

_It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder _

_How I keep from going under _

She laughed and would just have to wait until he called back, she just wonderd when that would be, if he ever did.

_**8:41pm, just outside Canyon Lands, Utah...**_

Eric traced his finger along the map of Canyonland, Utah. He found the road he was supposed to take, it appeared to be a dirt road. He turned his Bronco onto the dirt, and saw a sign that read: **YOU ARE NOW ENTERING CANYONLANDS**. He pulled out his camera and snapped a picture, he liked snapping pictures of anything that was even vaguely interesting.

He sped down the road, he turned the radio on,'The Message' was on, he turned it up of course. After following the signs that had arrows pointing to where he wanted to go, he arrived at a site where other cars seemed to be parked. He was still tired as hell, he was now in a area called Arco del Oeste, which was the rest area closest to Robbers Roost, which was his area of interest where the pool was. He got out of his car, got situated in the truck bed for sleep.

_**9:20am...**_

Eric woke up at 7:30am, and couldn't get out of his truck fast enough, he felt like a kid on Christmas morning eager to open his presents, only in this case he had to find the 'Christmas Tree', which was to walk about 10 miles to find Horseshoe Canyon, where the pool was and probably other great things were. Right now he was about an hour away from Horseshoe Canyon. He walked up a hill, which was all rock, much like everything else, pushing his legs up the hill. Once at the top, he could pretty much see everything for at least 4 miles, it was amazing. He breathed in and felt his lungs weezing, he reached into his shorts and pulled out his inhaler, and inhaled his medicine, and held his breath like he was suppose to. Eric knew he got Asthma from being out in these canyons, but occasionally stopping to puff his inhaler in was more then worth it. He exhaled and felt his lungs open up again, all was good in the world at that moment, or whenever he went hiking.

He slid his backpack off his shoulders and reached in and pulled out his canteen, it was full, so he wasn't concerned about running out. It was early and he had another bottle in his backpack as well. He took a large gulp and put it back, he jogged down the other side of the hill. Eric continued walking into the canyon he stopped as he saw a slot canyon down the hill about a hundred feet away, he thought this looked close enough to what his directions described it as, he descended downhill towards the opening of it. His sense of momentum is established again and it's clear he's moving downhill, into the fissure of the rock. Without warning his feet suddenly slide forward from under him and he skates/snap-kicks trying to keep his balance on a floor of scattering pebbles left there by a flood. There's a flash of the sky and dazzling sunlight. Only his arms and the proximity now of the walls prevent him from falling on his ass.

Eric exhaled, "Easy Eric, easy." Eric said trying to assure himself. He keeps moving, descending still, but a little more circumspect. Eric keeps descending, the canyon walls growing taller and closer, into the narrowing slot canyon. A dry waterfall, many months since it's seen rain. A drop of maybe 12/15 ft with no obvious climb down. Way beyond his reach and jammed into the walls of the canyon is an enormous S-shaped log, sand bleached and wind dried it looks like a massive reptile making its way down the canyon. Beyond it, Eric can see his route down disappearing into narrowing darkness.

A couple minutes later, Eric was deeper in the slot canyon. To reduce the drop he scrambles down clinging to the edge, pushes away and drops the final 6 feet or so landing in a fine cloud of sand. Nothing to it, second nature.

Eric walked up to a another steep drop, he sees another log and reaches out to grab it, and made sure it was somewhat stable enough to support his weight for him to get down to the other now had a frim grip on the log and, much like monkey bars at a park, he quickly jumps down to the other landing. He snaps the log now arching above him well out of reach.

He looked up, "Won't be coming back this way." Eric stated.

He is now very deep in the slot canyon. He spins and continues, seeing the first huge chockstones, the size of vans, their noses buried in the floor of the canyon like unexploded bombs. He easily scrambles over one and around another-tight fit but he's skinny enough to slide through.

The slot is now just 4ft wide and as he stops to look at massive tree logs jammed at strange angles high above him and silhouetted against the blue cloudless sky, he drinks deeply from his water bottle. He had some of his favorite songs playing in his head. He pumps the air - it's like the canyon in Star Wars and he's Luke feeling the force. One set of chockstones leads to another and he rapidly negotiates them like an obstacle race - until there's one the size of a big refrigerator which has been stopped by the walls 18 inches from the floor.

Over or under? He drops to his belly and squeezes underneath, rucking the sandy floor in front of him. He's halfway, his chest rising out the far side when suddenly he can't move. He pushes but nothing. He reaches back with his hand and releases a part of his rucksack strap that's snagged. He squat-jumps out and brushes off the sand. No panic - a nothing moment.

Now it's steeper. Eric is now 60 feet below ground level, but he isn't worried. He was pretty sure he was heading the right way. He uses his legs, back and natural body weight to body walk along and down the towering walls. Eric's now moving towards a final chockstone below him jammed in the gap. The way he's thinking: it's about the size of a bus wheel and used as a platform will help him and reduce the 10 foot drop and get quickly down into the next section.

Eric kicked the rock fiercely to make sure it's solid enough, "Yep." Eric confirmed. And across he steps onto it. It holds.

As before, he squats and clambers down the back side of the stone to reduce his drop down. Just as he dangles there's a scraping sound, small but close, too close and the stone judders towards him, pulled by the torque of his weight on his side, rotating. Instantly and instinctively he lets go and drops. Like he's trying to detach a mine dragging him to the sea floor. But it follows him down, somehow he's released its latent energy. Eric watches the chockstone follow him - not looking where he's going.

His arms rise to protect his head but his eyes remain open.

It grabs his left hand and flings it against the left wall. He pulls it away as the rock ricochets against the canyon and careers towards his right arm which he raises, to compensate for withdrawing the left, and to protect his head. The rock smashes the right hand and wrist against the wall and drags it down the remaining distance. Like a cheese grater it tears the skin from the back of the hand and the forearm, decorating the wall. Eric is powerless to stop its force and he lands on his feet allowing the rock to jam in front of him with his left hand held against the canyon wall by the stone. All this happens too quickly. Eric can hardly register what's happened as everything stops.

Silence. He's standing behind the rock. Like he's in a line for a bus. Like he's shaking someone's hand. A hand shake with the canyon. Silence.

Eric then had all these feeling come roaring at him, adrenaline, searing, roaring pain and panic. "Fuck!" Eric shouted. Pulls and pulls, yanks until his shoulder will dislocate, but nothing moves. Sweat, anxiety flaring, hot pain. "Shit, shit, shit, shit..." Eric said panicked. Pushing with his left hand desperate to reverse the action; so simple to undo the moment, to reverse gravity for a split second and pull his hand out... nothing. Again and again thrusting up with knees, thighs, pelvis, left arm, head,

neck... nothing. Then slam upwards, harder than ever as though he's run at it from a hundred yards and it's a door that will surely burst open.

"YEEARKGG... UNNNHHH." Eric groaned, desperately trying to dislodge this boulder. Air exploding out of his lungs. And then a quiet hollowsound of the boulder shifting fractionally. A howl of Phenomenal pain, "No, no, fuck." Eric mutterd.

He reverses the fraction and collaspes in sweat and blood, knees bleeding, good fingers lacerated. But he remains upright, attached. Unable to physically collapse. Eric grabs his orange shirt and wipes sweat away and goes to drink. He hula-hoops out of his backpack to get access to his water, gulps down 3 full throatfulls - stops mid 4th and backwashes as much as he can into the bottle, "No, no more water." Eric said quickly. He caps the lid tightly and drops it into his pack.

"Relax. Stop. Come on, now." Eric calmed himself.

He examines the boulder at each point he can reach, stretching and contorting to see into his crushed and wretched hand where his thumb is visible above and his little

finger below. No matter how much he touches them, there is no feeling. He prods up and down to see what feeling is left and where it stops. Comparing left hand to where the right hand is trapped to measure the width of his right wrist - now smaller than the width of his little finger on his righthand. He can barely get the little finger of his left hand inthe gap. We reverse back on him at each contortion. "How the hell do you get your hand trapped in here, god dammit!" Eric shouted. Eric knew his hand was dying.

He reaches up and touches the trail of blood, hair and skin left on the canyon wall as the rock pushed him to where he is. Looks under boulder, no blood - check.

Eric looks above for the first time, "HELP! HELLO! DOWN HERE!" Eric screamed. Miles and miles away, it didn't matter, no one could hear his cries for help. The expression he used earlier in his head when he didn't know where to go didn't apply _then_, _**Between a Rock, and a Hard Place**_, applied to him _now_.

_Thank you for reading this chapter, and I hoped you liked it. Next chapter will be up soon! Please review! I like to know how I'm doing._


	3. Sheriff Kelso

_Hey, there. Please note this is the same day as the last chapter. You start to find out why Jackie was mad at Eric, not fully, but it's in the works for you...;)_

2:00 pm...

Jackie had to close the shop early, she didn't know why but she found herself so worried that Eric hadn't called her back. He didn't try the record store or her home phone last night, it had her up all night waiting for his call. She burst through her door of her home, and saw the message machine was blinking. _Yes!_

Jackie hit the play button, but it wasn't Eric's voice that came through, "Hello. This is Cesar, and I work with Eric at The Good Time Casino, Eric hasn't reported in to work for the past 3 days and I am quite worried. Please call this number as soon as you can, 1-453-510-8437. Thank you." the man finished his message. Jackie didn't jump to return the call, instead she thought for a moment, _'The Good Time Casino? Cesar? Why is he calling me and how did he get my number?'_ Jackie thought to herself.

Jackie played the message again and wrote down the number and called it, it rang as Jackie waited. "Hello?", the man greeted.

"Uh, yes. This is Jackie, and I got a message saying to call this number." Jackie stated, she was just praying the man had since heard from Eric.

"Oh! Yes, I have been praying you would call back. I'm Cesar and I work with Eric, and I was wondering if you had heard from him." Cesar replied.

"Um, no. I have not, I was actaully hoping you had." Jackie said, sitting down on the couch, anxious.

"No, he hasn't called or anything, I'm also a close friend, and it isn't normal for Eric to not call in if he is missing work, or not to call at all." Cesar responded, Jackie's heart raced, the man hadn't heard from Eric either. She started to suspect something was wrong.

"Oh, my God. I just saw him 2 nights ago, and I have not seen or heard from him either." Jackie replied.

"I apologize for asking, but are you and Eric...?" Cesar asked, he didn't want to directly ask, trying not to be rude.

Jackie caught on, "No." Jackie replied quickly, Jackie paused, "Um, how did you get my number?" Jackie asked.

"You were listed in his emergency contacts." Cesar replied.

Jackie just smiled for the first time in 2 days, "Oh...um, look I have to go, but can you call me if you hear anything?" Jackie asked, wanting to get off the phone ASAP. "Yes, I will." Cesar replied. Jackie hung up and sat on her couch for a while staring off into space.

_Canyonlands, Utah..._

Eric leaned against the canyon wall, panting and breathing heavily trying to catch his breath from yelling his heart out for help. But to no avail. Eric sighed as he looked at the rock and decided to an inventory check. He emptied out his backpack and placed everything on the rock.

His wallet.

His red Wisconsin Badger hoody, "That will come in handy." Eric thought to himself.

2 bottles of water, 1 was half full and one was yet to be opened. "That's good." Eric thought to himself.

His video camera, with the batteries for it. He had forgotten his picture taking camera in the truck, "Is this interesting enough to get a picture of, dumbass?" Eric said aloud to himself.

His pocket knife that his father gave to him for Africa, it surprised himself that he still had it. A thought crossed his mind, that he might have to cut off his own arm. He was gonna lose his forearm anyway, his forearm was dead. His eyes went down to the knife again. It had a dull blade that had grown some what sharp over the years. A knife that resembled a 'mini saw', a shiver went up Eric's spine, thinking of cutting his arm off with this. He more then willingly put it away in the knife holder. And a scissors, which was much smaller of course, packed into the knife.

He picked up the knife and pulled out the dull blade, and looked to the rock, he thought maybe he could chip away at the rock, he could get just enough space between the rock and his thumb, he could slide it out. It would a long time, but he thought to the book, _**Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption**_, much like Andy chipping his rock hammer into the wall, it would take pressure and time. He had enough time until his body would shut down from lack of food and water, which could hopefully be enough time. He began to chip away at the rock, devolping a pattern of about 5 minutes of tapping the rock, and then taking time to flex out his hand to avoid cramping. That first day went by almost too quickly, and into the night. Eric had to constantly blow away the steel filings, between his thumb and the rock. When the night came, he was greatful it was a fool moon. So it wasn't completely pitch black.

_11:50 PM..._

He soon collapsed, "Fuck." Eric said completley exhausted from his workout. He fell and rested against the rock, he breathed heavily, doing so made him cough heartedly. He reached down into his pocket, and pulled out his inhaler. He held it up to his mouth, and pushed down on the cartridge and breathed in his medicine...but didn't exhale. He held in as long as he could. he knew the onger he did that, so better his medicine would work. He exhaled finally after about as long as he could hold it in. He decided to take a break from chipping away. He looked to the pocket knife, he feared he might drop it. He was shivering from the cold, he knew the only reason he was warm was cause of the work of chipping away at the rock. He went down to the backpack and pulled his sweatshirt. He pulled up the sweatshirt and the pull strings dangled in front of him. It gave him an idea. he looked to his pocket knife and wanted to get his scissors out. On habit he attempted to move his right arm to hold the pocket knife while he got out the scissors with his left. Of course his right hand didn't move at all, "Oh, yeah." Eric reminded himself.

He sighed and held the knife against the rock and pulled the scissors out of the holder, it was so small and he wonderd if it would cut thorugh the strings of the sweatshirt. He used his thumb-the working one-and pushed the scissors out to where it stopped. He sighed and put the string through the scissors, he pressed down attempting to cut it. It took several minuted before he cut through it. He took the free string and put it through the the circular hook, for situations like this, well not exactly, but to keep the pocket knife from falling out of reach. Once he tied the knot which was harder then ever with only one hand his damn rock to hold it on, he tied the other end through the loop in his pants. He put on his sweatshirt, he put the right arm of the sweatshirt over his right arm, in attempts to keep warm. He looked to the knife attached to his pants.

He decided to test it out, he reluctantly dropped it, it held. He laughed, "Bitchin." Eric said quietly. He laughed again and looked to his wallet. He put the knife on the rock, and grabbed his wallet and opened it to look at his contents.

He had just under a grand in money, he laughed with pity, "This is what I left my family for, for this." Eric said aloud, he knew it wasn't the only reason, there was the other thing, but Eric didn't want to think about that right now.

He had his swipe card from the casino, he didn't have much use for it and set it down. He laughed truthfully as he looked to the picture of his family and friends on New Year's Eve 1980, it was taken in the living room. He was in the back with all his friends-well what were his friends-he only kept in contact with Kelso and Fez. He wished he had done things differently, he sighed and reilized that was why he was here. God sent him here to make him understand what it was like to truly be _alone,_ which was what he pretty much was doing these past few years. He could see the picture perfectly in the moonlight, he set it against an indent of the canyon wall. He smiled at it, a picture in time, it was his company till he died here...alone and isolated.

He shook it off and looked to his water, he almost forgot he had it. He grabbed it and unscrewed the cap, and took a drink, he didn't sip it. He simply took a meduim sized drink and kept it in his mouth and swallowed it. Trying to savor what he had, he was tired and leaned to his left and against the canyon. It was extremely uncomfortable, but he could live with it as he shut his eyes and tried to get some sleep.

_4 Hours Later..._

Eric woke up, but he didn't sleep much. The moon was out of his sight now, he looked to the picture andcould barely see it He only got about 2 and half hours of sleep. He sighed and picked up the knife off the rock, and chipped away at the rock again. He chipped away again for the next few hours, the same routine he did yesterday. He sighed, tired of doing something that would never work. He looked down to his backpack and saw his camera through the open zipper...

About a minute later, the camera was placed on the rock, he flicked the camera switch on, hit the record button, and Eric stared into the camera;

"Uh, okay. My name is Eric Albert Forman of Point Place, Wisconsin. It's about..." Eric paused and looked to his wrist watch, "8:30 AM, on May 7th, 1984. My parents are Katherine and Reginald Albert Forman of Point Place, Wisconsin. Whoever finds this tape and presumably my body, please try and get in touch with them. You can keep the money in my wallet in exchange, there should be about a grand, _please _get in touch with my parents and give them this tape." Eric stated, he choked up just saying that.

Eric sighed and continued, "I...was descending into this slot canyon here." Eric picked up the large camera, and panned it upwards giving the veiwers of whoever found this tape, of what he was descending into. "This chockstone rolled onto my arm, and it can't get it out...it's stuck." Eric said, showing the camera to the scene of his arm, the blood had somewhat faded, but was still visible. "I was heading to this hidden pool, dome type thing I read about." Eric said back to camera.

"My hand is crushed and is dead, and it's this..." Eric stated, pausing to look at the strange color of his thumb, "Gray purple color; mostly gray." Seeing the color purple reminded him it was a certain bruntte's favorite color. Eric shook his head, Eric set the camera on the rock again, "It hasn't had any circulation for over a day now, so...it's pretty well gone now." Eric said, still taking in what he just said himself. "I have tried pulling it out but...nothing." Eric started, Eric then had to laugh at the memory of Kelso, Donna and him trying to get a street sign down for Hyde.

He thought back to it;

**"I just put this firecracker down there, and BLAMMO. The sign comes out." Kelso stated as he wedged the firecracker between the sign and the cement.**

**"Yeah, it could...if the base were made of PUDDING!" Eric yelled, making Donna laugh.**

**Kelso raised himslef and looked at Eric like he was stupid, "If the base were made of pudding, _Eric. _We could just pull the sign right out!" Kelso shot back.**

**Eric and Donna just pittied the idiot.**

Eric smiled and opened his eyes, now present in 1984 and not 1978. "If this rock were made of pudding, _Eric. _I could just pull my arm right out..." Eric stated, smiling at applying the memory to right now.

Eric then thought about Kelso, he had matured alot since then. Even the PPPD noticed he had, they even gave him another shot in the force. He was now even the sheriff of the PPPD. "God help all the people in Point Place." Eric thought to himself. He sighed in dissapointment as he promised to be the celebration party for Kelso's sucess tommorow.

Eric blinked and rememberd the camera was still on, "Kelso, I know I said I would be there, I really had planned on it. I hope you have a good time there, and I know you'll be a good cop in this life. Sorry I won't be there. And it wasn't cause everyone was gonna be there, that wasn't the problem. the problem was cause of you know..." Eric said motioning his eyes to the rock and his arm.

He sighed again, "Back to this situation, I have 1 and a half bottles of water left. I should last me a couple days...and then that's it..." Eric said sadly, he then turned off the camera.

_Point Place, Wisconsin 10:00 AM..._

Jackie was at work listening again to Grandmaster Flash's 'The Message', she had it on repeat an didn't know why. Jackie's buisness had a good flow of customers. Jackie put any worry about where Eric was behind her, she still had buisness to run. Jackie told herself that he was fine, he did this alot. He was far more independent then back in the day.

Suddenly Kelso came in the doors, Jackie's spirits were uplifted, "Jackie!" Kelso called out. He ran around the counter and engulfed her in a hug. "Hey, Micheal." Jackie greeted happily.

Micheal released the hug, "It's great to be in here again. I love what you have done with the place, it...doesn't smell like pot. And there arn't hippie orgies in the office. God, that was a scene to see." Kelso prasied her, grossed out by the day when Hyde and him came in here to find Leo and his hippie friends.

Jackie laughed, "Yeah, but I still have to sell those retched rock albums." Jackie joked.

"You're still coming to the party tommorow right?" Kelso asked.

Jackie had completely forgot about that, "Oh...yeah. For sure I'll be there." Jackie replied.

"Good. Because I got Fez, Eric, Hyde and Donna coming down for the party." Kelso replied happily.

"Um, Micheal. I don't think Eric will be there." Jackie stated, feeling guilty for the fact that she was to blame.

Kelso gave her a weird look, "Oh, sure he will. He promised me he would." he replied.

"Micheal, he was back in town about 2 days ago. And I yelled at him, and he took off and no one has heard from him since." Jackie responded.

Kelso laughed, "Oh, that is just how Eric is. He will be there don't worry." Kelso assured.

"Micheal, I think somethings wrong. His boss called me and said he hasn't been to work in three days. He said they are close friends too, and he said it wasn't normal for him to do something like this." Jackie said obviously worried.

He just laughed again, "Jackie, I'll tell you what. If he isn't at the party I will personally file a 'Missing Person Report' myself. But I know I won't have to, cause he will be there." Keslo assured again.

This made Jackie feel somewhat better, "Okay, good. Because I'm worried sick about him." Jackie knew only one other person besides Eric himself who knew about what happened between them, and it wasn't Kelso, so she had to pretend like it was the old days, "I know me and Eric were never friends, but I'm still worried." Jackie finshed.

Kelso laughed yet again, "Yeah, I know because this is Eric's favortie song, and it's played almost twice since I have been here, you have it on repeat." Kelso stated.

Jackie laughed, "Yeah, I know. I like the song too. But don't worry, I'll be there." Jackie stated.

Kelso turned to leave, "Okay, I got to go pick up Betsy from day care, I'll see you tommorow." Kelso said waving and hurrying out the door.

"Bye." Jackie called out, Jackie just hoped Eric turned up tommorow night. If he didn't, something was obviously wrong...

_Thanks for reading this chapter of 'Isolation' Please Read and Reveiw, they are greatly appreciated!_


	4. Keeping Your Head On

_Hey, there! Jackie may be a little OOC at the party, but then again, we are all humans and we all step outside ourself sometimes...I know the timeline through out the day here can jump very quickly, but bear with me..._

"HELP!" Eric shouted, he heard three yells via his ehco, he listened...so closely. But nothing, he hoped someone could hear his cries for help, by his voice bouncing off the canyon walls, going miles and miles, but he got back on planet Earth. He had decided to limit himself to one cry for help a day, he noticed his voice was hoarse.

He sighed and picked up his inhaler off the rock, and pressed down on the cartridge and inhaled his medicine. He wasn't worried about conserving his medicine, he just got it refilled before he enterd Canyonlands. He finally exhaled angrily, "I can remember to refill this, but can't remember to tell anyone where I'm going?" Eric said aloud to himself. He sighed and looked to the camera, which he still had out from before, but it was off.

He decided to use his time more usefully and chip away at the rock, he picked up his knife off the rock. Doing so, he saw the time was _3:58 PM_ on his wrist watch. He chipped away at the rock for the next few hours, chipping away at the rock for 5 minutes then flexing his good hand to avoid cramping. He was in such a workout, he was breaking out in sweat, he set the knife down and took off his sweatshirt. He looked down to his 'Good Time Casino' orange tee shirt, he had a stain of his sweat around the neck of the shirt. "Gross." Eric said aloud.

He suddenly became incredibly thirsty, he quickly unscrewed the cap of his water bottle and took a big gulp.

"Damn it!" Eric scolded himself on taking way too big of a drink. He put it back, and told himself not to take another drink for a while. Eric raised his wrist to see the time: _6:00 PM_. Eric sighed, Kelso's party started in an hour, he wanted to be there so badly, seeing his old friends, having some drinks, just having fun...seeing Jackie again. He didn't want their last talk to be so bitter, especially after they went through so much together.

_Point Place, Wisconsin..._

Jackie was almost too exited for the party, she spent nearly 3 hours getting ready. She didn't have a lengthy trip, she was just going to Kelso and Brooke's, which was about 2 miles away from the record store where she was getting ready in the backroom. She wore her pink cashmeir sweater, some dark blue jeans, and some boots that had the lower part of her pants tucked into. She looked good!

Jackie left the store at 6:34, she wanted to get there early. Hopefully the first guest, and she was when she pulled in. Although she was dissapointed not to see the Ford Bronco, she was still in a good mood. Kelso may not be bright, but he said Eric would be here for sure. And that was good enough for her.

Kelso and Brooke were putting the last of the drinks and food out, "I'm so glad your mom could watch Betsy." Kelso stated. Brooke smiled, "And I'm so glad we are having a party that actaully has a point." Brooke joked.

Kelso scoffed, "All our parties have points, but you're right this one is special. I can't beleive everyone's gonna be here." Kelso said happily.

Brooke put the bag of assorted candies for Fez on the table, with his name on it, "Are you sure everyone is gonna be here?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't they?" Kelso asked back.

"Well...I was talking more about Eric. We don't see much of him." Brooke stated.

Kelso laughed, "Trust me. He said he would. Why is everyone so conearned about him? Jackie even is, and she hates him." Kelso said.

Brooke then mutterd something, "What?" Keslo asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing. Really." Brooke assured, she herself wonderd why Jackie was still so hung up on Eric.

The doorbell rang, several doorbell rings later Hyde, Donna, Jackie and Fez were enjyong the party, along with the hosts of course. They all reminisced about their memories back in the day, about what they have been up to the past few years. Once everyone explained themselves, Donna spoke up, "Kelso, You said everyone was gonna be here." Donna stated, she looked at Kelso expectantly, he didn't reply.

"Kelso!" Donna yelled.

"What? You didn't ask me a question, you just stated what I told you over the phone." Kelso replied, everyone just laughed.

"Where's Eric?" Donna asked, Jackie looked up, she was mostly zoned out the whole party.

"Huh. I don't know, he said he would be here. Jackie when did you say you talked to him last?" Kelso asked, everyone looked to Jackie, almost everyone was wondering why Jackie was talking to Eric.

Jackie reluctantly answered, "Um, like three nights ago." Jackie replied.

Hyde spoke up, "Jackie, why are you talking to Forman?" Hyde asked, and Donna herself wanted to know, Jackie just didn't reply to his question, it wasn't worth her time.

"Huh. Well if no one else has heard from him for three days, we could file a missing person report." Kelso stated, Hyde just groaned.

"Jackie. Why are you talking to Forman?" Hyde asked again, Donna still wanted to know.

Jackie groaned, "He was at the Forman's three day ago, and I saw him then." Jackie replied.

Donna's eyes widened, "Eric was back in town and you didn't tell me?" Donna asked heatedly.

Jackie knew Donna hadn't let Eric go, "Donna, relax. I didn't even know he was gonna be there until I got there." Jackie replied, trying not to start a fight.

Donna sat back in her seat, "You still should have told me." Donna said.

Jackie laughed, "God, Donna. You don't own the guy, and you expect me to be a friend when you can benefit from it? All these years, you have not been a good friend to me, so you are not a saint." Jackie shot back, Brooke knew Eric was a sore subject with Jackie.

Jackie sighed, "I need a cigarette." Jackie stated, everyone was shocked that Jackie smoked.

Brooke got up, "I'll go with you, Jackie." she stated.

Kelso stammerd, "Brooke, I don't think you should be smoking since we're..." Kelso started, they were trying to have another kid, but hadn't told anyone.

Brooke laughed, "I'm not gonna smoke, Kelso. Don't worry." Brooke assured.

Once outside, Jackie opened her purse to get her cigarettes out, "Jackie, I thought you just wanted to get out of there, I didn't think you actaully smoked." Brooke stated, closing the door.

Jackie sighed, "I don't. I just was at the gas station and saw them, I was only gonna smoke them, if Eric didn't show up. But it doesn't look like he is." Jackie said, smoking her cigarette.

"But don't worry. It isn't gonna become a habit or anything." Jackie assured, '_These taste disgusting!', _Jackie thought to herself.

"Everybody just got here, Eric could still show up, Jackie." Brooke said assuringly.

Jackie paused, "I think I'm the reason he isn't here, Brooke." Jackie stated.

Brooke groaned, "Jackie, that happened over 2 years ago, that isn't the reason." Brooke replied, "And Kelso said he was gonna be here, he said he talked to him over the phone." Brooke said.

"No. When he was over by the Forman's, when we were alone I really yelled at him. Then he left, and his boss called and said he hasn't called or been into work in 4 days now." Jackie stated.

A confused look crossed Broooke's face, "Why did his boss call you of all people?" Brooke asked.

"I was thinking the same thing, but it was because I was in Eric's emergency contacts..." Jackie replied, smiling at the thought, that she was still in his emergency contacts.

"Aw. That's sweet of Eric. I wish Micheal would put me in his EC. Do you know who Micheal put for his? 'Spiderman' and himself." Brooke stated, Jackie burst into the giggles, "Oh, my God." Jackie said at the end of her laughs.

"It's nice to know some things never change." Jackie stated, putting out her cigarette.

Brooke couldn't help but laugh as well, "Yeah. Let's get back to the party." Brooke said.

_Canyonlands, Utah..._

Eric had been chipping away at this rock for the past hour, he had enough and threw his knife on the rock, Eric flicked on his camera.

"Yeah...this won't work at all." Eric said, he then laughed, "This might have been pointless this entrie time. I'm actaully thinking that the more I chip away, the rock settles more. So I actaully have been digging my self into an even bigger hole here. The only good thing is that it's acting like a great tourniquet." Eric stated, he then paused, "Oh, and there was this raven that flew by at about 11 o'clock this morning. I'll try to get it on the camera for you." Eric told the anoymous viewer.

Eric sighed, "Well, what else could I tell you?" Eric told the camera, looking around his body.

Eric then looked back towards the camera, "Oh, I had this brown paper bag in my backpack. I thought it was empty but, it wasn't. When I checked it finally and it wasn't food, or anything useful. Let's just say it was a little gift from Hyde." Eric said, that statement was more for his friends and family when they saw this, they knew what he was talking about.

Eric laughed, "I'm not sure if I'm fortunate and unfortunate that I didn't have a lighter. I could have used the bag itself to roll it up in, but then again I would have just been even more hungry then I already am." Eric told the invisable audience, Eric sighed. He flicked the camera off again, it was getting too depressing to talk to his camera, he was pratically leaving his last will and testiment on the camera.

Eric decided to take a drink from his water bottle, he didn't know why but he took the one the hadn't been opened. It's same thing just a different bottle. Besides he feared he wouldn't be able to control himself, and he would drink what's left in the bottle. So he unscrewed the cap, and took a small drink from it. He almost didn't want to drink it, it just seemed comparing it to the many drinks at Kelso's house, Mountain Dew, Pepsi, beer and all the different soda there. Fez might be eating candy, Kelso would doing a dare from Hyde with Brooke looking on, shaking her head. Donna would be sitting on the couch, not to interested to get up, but just enough to at least watch the spectacle. Eric tried his best to imagine what the dare was, he tried his best to try to be a part of the party...in his mind. But again, what was the dare? Kelso drinking beer from those funnel things? Kelso stealing Fez's candy to create havoc? He seemed to forget about what Jackie at the party, what was she doing? He could conclude that she was having fun, she probably didn't care that he wasn't there. She let him know how she felt about everything the night he left.

Eric then shot himslef up and forward trying to catch his water bottle from falling, "No!" Eric yelled as it fell forward, it all happned so fast. He was so caught up in trying to be at the party, he forgot to screw the cap back on. He hurdled himself forward, to see where it went, it had fallen downwards down 2 levels of the slot canyon. He couldn't even see it now, "FUCK!" Eric yelled, Eric then flipped out and started hitting the canyon wall with his left hand, so hard. He brought his leg up and kneed the rock about 10 times.

He could have it all night, when he finally stopped he just stood there breathing heavily. He was broken out his thoughtless trance to hear the beeping of his camera, giving it warning the it's battery life was low. He had forgotten to turn it off, and it caught his whole freak out. He raised his hands to see that his knuckles and the side of his hand were extremely bloody. Eric groaned as he felt what he thought was another ant on his legs, as it went down his legs. Without looking, he brushed them away, but felt liquid on his hands. He saw the fresh blood from him having a karate class on the rock on his already bloody hand, he looked down and indeed his legs were bleeding heavily. He didn't clean it up, it was only a matter of time until the blood dried.

Eric heard the beeping of his camera again, he decided to watch his rant, he slid the screen out, and hit the rewind button. He played it and watched in disgust his pathetic rant. He watched himself on the screen hitting the canyon wall and kicking the rock, saying every swear in his vocab. He noticed that when he kicked the rock, the camera would move just a little from kicking it so hard.

Eric couldn't watch this anymore, he slid the screen in and shut his camera off, he even double checked to make sure it was off.

Eric didn't know what part of his mind or his brain this came out of, but 'The Message' by Grandmaster Flash played in his head, it shocked him how much he just reilized how much it applied to him.

**_God is smiling on you, but he's frowning too_**  
**_Because only God knows, what you go through_**  
**_You grow in the ghetto, living second rate_**  
**_And your eyes will sing a song of deep hate,_**

**_Being used and abused and served like hell_**  
**_Till one day you was found hung dead in a cell_**  
**_It was plain to see that your life was lost_**  
**_You was cold and your body swung back and forth_**  
**_But now your eyes sing the sad sad song_**  
**_Of how you lived so fast and died so young,_**

**_So, don't push me, cause I'm close to the edge I'm trying not to lose my head_**  
**_It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder How I keep from going under It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder How I keep from going under_**

Eric laughed as the music played in his head, he was losing his head in this place. He knew if he kept this up, whoever found this tape would see that the last days of his life were spent in complete bitterness and self pitty.

Eric exhaled, "No. Don't lose it." Eric told himself.

"Eric. Don't lose it." Eric told himself. Eric heard nothing but him breathing for the next 10 minutes, trying to get his head back. He decided to tell himself what the reality of the situation was.

He was gonna die here.

He made way too many mistakes in life.

Until he died, he was gonna do everything he could do to get out of here.

He dropped a nearly full bottle of water, and nothing but his other one, which had a 1/4 amount of water left, and he had to save it.

He told no one where he was going, and no one would suspect anything was wrong.

He also had a Newfoundland at home, that he hoped someone would find and take care of.

And one other small thing, his arm was stuck by a rock, and held against a canyon wall, with no rational way of getting out.

He sighed, that was it. He looked at the rock and his hand, just like before, only this time he really looked to see some kind of flaw or 'easter egg' God left him to see. He saw nothing, but it wasn't a waste of time, he was on the right way to being more positive about the situation. He sighed again, he picked up his knife, he chipped away at the rock again. He knew he said before that his hand was pretty much supporting the rock. But he wanted to something other then pitty himself.

_10:00 pm, Point Place, Wisconsin..._

Jackie took a break from the party to call the Formans, she was in a somewhat better mood, she waited as it dailed.

Hyde was sitting next to Donna and watched Jackie, "Why is Jackie so worried about Forman? She hates the guy." Hyde asked Donna.

Donna turned away from the fight between Kelso and Fez over Fez's candy, "Huh? Hyde, you don't set up a fight between them, and keep distracting me." Donna stated, Kelso was sitting on toop of Fez and eating his candy in front of him.

Donna sighed, "Well, I don't know why. But, all I know is that it's really weird." Donna stated, she didn't like it either. Eric hated Jackie and vice versa.

A light bulb went off in Donna's head, she turned to Hyde, who was watching the fight between Kelso and Fez he started.

"Hyde. What if Eric and Jackie were...like, a thing?" Donna asked.

Hyde snorted, "Forman and Jackie? No way." Hyde replied, Kelso was laughing enjoying Fez's candy when Fez flipped him over, "Give Fez the candy!" Fez yelled.

"Hey, Mrs. Forman." Jackie greeted.

"Oh, Jackie! It's so nice to hear from you, how are you?" Kitty asked.

Jackie sighed and was nervous as to why Donna and Hyde were staring at her, "I'm not good, Mrs. Forman. Have you heard from Eric yet?" Jackie asked.

Kitty paused, "No. I thought for sure you had by now." Kitty replied.

Jackie fidgited with the chord of the phone, "His boss called me and said, he hasn't been into work for three days. But that was yesterday, so he hasn't been in to work for 4 days now. I think something's wrong." Jackie stated, Kitty sensed her worried tone.

"Well, me and Red will file a missing person report first thing in the morning." Kitty stated.

Jackie breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh, thank you." Jackie thanked her.

Kitty sighed, "Jackie...you have to tell me what happened between you two." Kitty stated.

Jackie paused, "Nothing happened between us." Jackie whisperd, trying not to be heard by Hyde and Donna who were still staring.

Kitty groaned, "Jackie, I have two kids. I _know _when one is lying." Kitty replied.

Jackie didn't know what to say, "Fine. I'll come by tommorow." Jackie responded.

"No Jackie, tonight. I am worried sick about my only son, and I have a right to know, okay?" Kitty said in a serious tone.

Jackie looked back to the living room, still being stared at still by those two, "Fine, I'll be over in a second." Jackie said and hung up the phone.

Jackie walked into the living room, and sat by Brooke, "I have to go tell Mrs. Forman about what happened." Jackie stated.

Brooke turned, "Right now?" she asked.

Jackie sighed, "Yes...can you come with me? It's a hard thing to talk about, and you already know." Jackie replied.

"Yeah, sure." Brooke said getting up, "Micheal, me and Jackie will be right back, okay?" Brooke told him.

"Okay, fine." Kelso said still in his fight.

"Where are you guys going?" Donna asked, Hyde looked like he was interested to hear the answer as well.

Brooke inhaled and then exhaled, "Need to know basis only." Brooke replied. And with that they were out the door, leaving a confused and angry Donna and Hyde.

_The Formans..._

Jackie and Brooke waited for Kitty to answer the door, she opened it, "Brooke! I haven't seen you in months!" Kitty exclaimed.

Brooke laughed, "It's nice to see you too." Brooke replied.

About ten minutes later, they were all on the couch, after small talk between the trio, Kitty spoke up, "Well, Jackie. I don't want to beat around the bush, so whenever your ready." Kitty said, setting up the table for Jackie.

Jackie sighed, "Okay. Well, it was right after Eric got back from Africa. We seemed to really become good friends, and..." Jackie started, she had only told Brooke about what happened.

Jackie continued, "We stayed good friends the whole time, and then the whole fiasco started on New Year's Eve 1981. And it was just when the party was winding down, me and Eric were talking most of the night. And we had only been drinking a little bit, but still..." Jackie stated, she was having a hard time talking about this all over again.

Kitty had a feeling she knew where Jackie was going, Jackie started again, "We..." Jackie paused.

Brooke spoke up, "Mrs. Forman. I think-it's self explanitory from there." Brooke stated, Jackie was thankful Brooke spoke up when she did.

Kitty almost couldn't beleive it, "Is it true, Jackie?" Kitty asked.

Jackie was choked up, "Yeah." Jackie replied.

Jackie started yet again, "A couple weeks after that...I-" Jackie found this very difficult to say, "I was pregnent." Jackie felt that she just say it, Jackie was looking down the entire time.

Kitty almost had heart attack, "W-what? Pregnent? With a-a child?" Kitty stated.

Jackie looked up, "No, with a gazelle." Jackie said coldly.

"Oh, God. I'm sorry, Mrs. Forman. I just don't talk about this like...ever." Jackie apologized, Kitty could understand that.

"Oh. Don't worry about that sweetie, it's fine." Kitty assured.

"And Eric was so-so cool about it. And he was so considerate about the whole thing. We dated, but kept it a secret, along with the...ya know." Jackie said, looking down.

Kitty thought about it, and couldn't help notice she didn't have any grandchildren around, "What happened?" Kitty asked with some caution.

Jackie still stared at the ground, "The baby didn't make it." Jackie stated.

_I know, that was sad, but I hope you liked the chapter overall...Please review, they are greatly appreciated. _

_Also if you haven't heard 'The Message' by Grandmaster Flash, I suggest you give it a listen...=)_


	5. Oops!

Hey_ there again, this chapter may be a little sad, all the characters are having a tough time..._

Jackie broke down in tears with the meeting with Kitty, Brooke drove her back to her house. Jackie couldn't keep the tears in on the car ride either. As soon as Brooke pulled up to Jackie's house, Jackie said goodbye to Brooke, "I'll take a cab to your place to get my car tommorow." Jackie said as she shut the door, Brooke sat in Jackie's driveway for a few moments, she knew Jackie losing the baby was hard on her, but the way Jackie cried that night would have made Red cry.

Jackie shut the door as she went into her home, she leaned her forehead against the door and cried. Jackie wished Mrs. Forman never made her talk about what happened. Jackie rememberd that she couldn't wait to tell Red he was getting a grandson, Eric couldn't wait either. She made her way to her room, she noticed the message machine was blinking, but was far too depressed to listen to it. Jackie slowly climbed into her bed, she wasn't that tired. Jackie cried well into the night, the phone rang several times. Jackie could hear Donna's muffled voice through the closed door, and later on, she heard Hyde's, and neither of them sounded happy on the message machine.

Brooke came into the door, her whole mood was shot down. When Brooke came up the stairs, Kelso was waiting for her, "Honey, where have you been?" Kelso said getting up from his chair.

"I had to go with Jackie to Kitty's, Jackie had to tell her something. I don't wanna talk about it, Micheal." Brooke stated, she noticed Hyde and Donna fell asleep on the couch, and Fez had on the floor, gripping his candy close to him.

"What happened?" Kelso asked.

Brooke told him to follow her to their room, they sat on the bed, "Look, Micheal." Brooke started, she didn't know to put this.

"It's Jackie. In 1981, she became pregent." Brooke stated, Kelso's eyes widened, "What?" he asked.

Brooke sighed, "And Eric was the father." Brooke explained.

Keslo threw his head to the side, "Wha-Eri-?" Kelso stammerd.

"And then something happened and she lost it." Brooke stated.

Kelso scoffed, "How...how could you not tell me this?" Kelso asked.

"It had an effect on me too. Remember all those nights I was out? I was trying to comfort Jackie cause she kept thinking she pushed Eric away, and the baby." Brooke replied, with her voice breaking.

"Brooke, she has been my best friend for 13 fucking years. And I-" Kelso started, he was clearly upset about this.

Kelso seemed to take some breaths and calmed down, "So this is why she is so concearned about Eric?" Kelso asked.

"Yes. And she said in the car that she still loved him, and now she feels she pushed him away again. And that he isn't missing, he just doesn't want to come back." Brooke replied.

Kelso stood up, "I gotta go, Brooke." Kelso said getting up.

"What? Where are you going?" Brooke assumed he was still mad.

"I'm gonna file that missing person report for Eric." Kelso stated, "I'll be right back, okay?" Kelso said.

And with that Kelso was out the door, leaving Brooke with three drunk idiots, once at the police station, Kelso slipped into 'sheriff mode'.

He sat at his desk and opened his file cabinet to get the paper for a missing persons report; he filled out his name, D.O.B, Kelso had to go through somepaper work to find his adress in Neveda, his phone number, ETC.

Kelso dailed his number in Nevada, he waited as it rang, he heard a click, he heard some shuffling and clattering on the other line, and a dog barking, "Hello?" Keslo questioned.

The barking of the dog continued, Kelso laughed as it must have been his dog that answerd the phone by knocking it off the table. That explaination was good enough as always for Kelso. He cooed the dog over the line, and then hung up.

A idea crossed his brain, he could go to Eric's house, and look for him there, or at least some clues as to where he was. And there was a dog there, when a lonely dog needed help, Micheal Kelso would answer to the call. Kelso knew he had to get there ASAP.

_The next day at 8:00am, Canyonlands, Utah..._

Eric shot up into veiw of his camera, "Good morning out there, everybody!" Eric greeted his imaginary audience, Eric looked to his watch, "It is...8:00 in the moring here in Canyonland, U.S.A, right here in 'I'm fucked' Utah!" Eric started.

"And this morning...on the boulder, we have a not-so very special guest, self proclaimed self styled superhero, Eric Forman! Shout it out, Eric!" Eric the newsman yelled. Applause erupts from the studio audience, where the hell did they come from? Right there in Eric's head.

Eric smiled, "Thank you! Pleasure to be here!" Eric replied.

Eric suddenly adopted the role a chat-show host, switching voices and persona, with frightening dexterity.

Regular Eric, "Can I give out a 'hi' to my mom and dad, in Point Place, Wisconsin?" Eric asked his alter ego news man.

News Man Eric, "Wait! Point Place, Wisconsin? But you're here in Utah, why are you so far away from your friends and family? I'm sorry, that isn't _my _business. Go ahead and say hi!" the news man replied.

"Well, okay then! Hey, mom...dad. I'm sorry I didn't stay the night the other night. If I hadn't left when I did, I might have stayed in the morning and I probably would've told you where I was going..." Eric stopped, the following statement hit him at that moment as it did the viewers, "And if did, I pry wouldn't be here right now." Eric stated.

Eric the host of course replied, "You are NOT wrong there, Eric! But like every subconsious mind of a news host: Your extreme selfiness is only OUR gain! What made you leave so early?", Eric the news man asked.

Eric grinned sarcastically, "I didn't want to stay with the mother of what _could have _been my child, but like everything else I have done in my life; I left, just like before!" Eric replied again to the news man.

Eric the news man leaned back, "OH! You complete and utter _dick_!" Eric the news man said, with a laugh at the end.

Eric laughed, "You are NOT wrong there yourself, Eric." Eric told his alter ego news host.

"Well, is there anyone else you would like to say 'hi' to?", the news host asked Eric, "Not that you might have any other friends now." Eric the news man told regular Eric.

"Well, there is my boss, Cesar at work..." Eric started, but was cut off by his own alter ego.

"Hold on there, Eric! We happen to have Cesar on the line! You tell him yourself." Eric's 'newsy' persona told the other Eric.

"Oh, cool!" Eric replied.

"Hey there, Eric!" Cesar voice greeted regular Eric through the imaginary ear peice, as Eric put his fingers to his ear talking to Cesar, "I noticed you have not been into work, lately. What's up with that?" Cesar asked Eric.

"Yeah, Eric. What _is _up with that?" Eric the news man asked condescendingly.

"Well, as you can see; my arm is stuck under this rock. And now I can't get out!" Eric replied with a 'perky' voice, "And I pry won't be making it into work today, or ever again." Eric stated.

Cesar inhaled sharply over the imaginary telephone line, "Well, that is mighty bad luck, Eric. I actaully have to go, since you are a selfish prick, I have to do _your _job. Bye now!" Cesar replied, hearing the imaginary click over the line.

"Get a load of that guy! Oh, wait. We got _another _call from, an Aron from Utah himself. Aron asks: Am I right in thinking that even if Cesar from work, or anyone else that care and love you, file a 'Missing Persons Report', the police would put a 24 hours hold on it? Meaning that you wouldn't become officailly missing until early morning Wednesday. At. The. Earliest?" Eric recited Aron's question to Eric.

Eric pretended to think about it, "Yes! Aron from Utah is right on the money...which means I'll most likely be dead at that time." Eric stated praising Aron's question.

"And the reason for this _entire _situation I'm in, is because I'm a big giant fucking hard hero! OR in the words of the woman who I still love, '_you're so fucking selfish, taking off for your own selfish ways. Not caring who you hurt, you are an asshole.'_ And you know what? I can't really be botherd to argue with her." Eric finished, recalling the heated conversation from just 5 days ago.

Eric the news man laughed, "Yeah, Eric. I can't find a reason to disagree, you ARE an asshole." he said to the regular Eric laughing.

The Eric news man had a lightbulb go off in his head, "Wait! So it's because you are such a big FUCKING hard hero, you didn't tell anyone...where you were going?" The news man asked, his face moving closer to the camera on the rock.

Eric: "That is entirely correct." Eric replied.

A pause.

Eric the News Man: "Anyone?" he asked, his face moving even closer to the camera.

Eric, looking down: "Anyone." Eric answerd, shaking his head.

Another pause.

"Come on. There must have _someone _you told where you were going. But still? ANYONE?" he asked him yet again.

Eric, looking up: "Nope. Didn't tell _anyone_." Eric replied again.

Eric the news man takes an even longer pause.

"Well...Oops!" he stated, earning him a big laugh from the studio audience in Eric's head.

Eric: "Oops." he stated himself.

Eric looked down, completely dropping the act, he appeared utterly, utterly sober. Eric took in what he said. That would have been all it took, just telling someone where he was going. But he didn't. Hell, he didn't even say 'goodbye'.

Eric looked straight into the camera, "Mom, dad. I'm so, so sorry. And I want to take this time to tell you, yes, you too, Dad. That the times we spent together were...just amazing." Eric told his parents into the camera, whenever they saw this.

"Yes. Every time...just awesome. And Mom, I can't even tell you how much I-I never addmitted it-but all your love and effection." Eric told his mother. "And I just wanted to say I always appreciated it. Really." Eric said, he was choking up.

Eric chuckled softly, "As much as I said I didn't like the surprise parties, I really did like them. And I thank immensly for that, there's so many other things. Like making sure I brought an extra sweatshirt in the winter time to school, just in case. I love you, mom and I'm sorry for any time I may have disrespected you." Eric said, it made him want to bawl picturing what his mother would do when she found out that he died. He didn't want that, but it was who she was to be concerned.

Eric paused, "Dad. I know you are not one for...me talking positive about you and our relationship. And I meant what I said on that hunting trip a few years ago, you were hard on me so I wouldn't let life push me around. And if that isn't love, I wouldn't know what that is." Eric said with tears coming out of his eyes, he wiped them away, "Damn it." Eric said quietly.

Eric laughed, "I can just picture you sitting on the couch in that living room, dissapointed that I'm crying. But before you turn this off, I love you, dad." Eric finshed. Eric looked at the rock that pinned him to the wall, the memory of his father and him sitting in the living room, with Red and his train set after his mother passed. Something Eric still felt very guilty about that whole thing but he thought back to him and Red talking about what happened. Eric then began to laugh loudly at his fathers statement about Eric telling him he might be the reason his mother died.

**_Red laughed, "That could only happen to you, son." Red teased him._**

Eric looked at the camera and back at the rock, Eric looked to the camera again, "This could only happen to me, huh Dad?" Eric told his father in the camera.

Eric paused, he picked up his water bottle, he tipped it so slowly, he let the water touch his lips, and forced himself to put it down. Once he turned back to the camera from screwing the cap on, he started again.

He sighed, "Donna." Eric simpy stated, "I'm sorry for all the mistakes I have made in our relationship, we both did. But I...will always be thankful for the time we spent together. And-this is a true story-" Eric said, he started again, "This happened right after we broke for the first time, I was laying in bed, and I said; 'I wished we never kissed.' Just then, this rude angel showed up." Eric stated, looking down for a moment, he pictured Donna wouldn't beleive him.

Eric looked up and continued, "He showed me what my life would have been like if we never kissed on the hood of the Vista Crusier, and God...my life would have turned out terrible. I was a mattress salesman, you married Hyde, I was with Rhonda; remember her? And Keslo and Jackie were so on and off again, it was weird. I still think about that night, so I am thankful for that night when we kissed. You gave me the confidence to stand up to Red. And we had some good times together. I'll always love you, like my sister, like my friend, and my ex girlfriend, I love you." Eric stated, knowing his heart belonged to someone else, but he would always love Donna like his own sister.

Eric looked down to the brown bag with the pot in it, Eric laughed, "Hyde." Eric said then looking up to the camera, he then reilized he was acting like this was his last message to them, and it was.

Eric laughed, "Hyde. I know you are a lot like Red, and you don't like me being mushy on you. But I'm taking this time to say that might have been my first real friend." Eric laughed, "I remember you had to take me home, when we were like six, cause I was too scared cause of Donna. The 'high times' we had with everybody in the basment: the circle. Weather you would want to admit or not, you're a good friend. I remember when my grandma died and you did your best to make me feel better." Eric started and thought back to it.

_1977..._

**Donna and Eric sat on the couch, "I don't care what you said, Eric. You didn't kill her." Donna assured.**

**Eric turned to Donna, "No, Donna. I did, and the shock of grandson telling her she was cold and nasty killed her. And this isn't like your family, where if you do something wrong, you get a pat on the back and a gold star." Eric stated, still clearly upset.**

**Donna threw her hands up, "Look, I'm just trying to help!" Donna yelled.**

**"Well, I'm sorry, but talking won't help me right now. The only thing that's gonna help me now, is like...drinking." Eric said.**

**Donna wasn't getting through to him, "Well, you just sound stupid." Donna replied.**

**Just then Hyde opened the basement door, "Hey, Forman. Let's go get wasted." Hyde said with a smirk.**

**Eric pointed to Hyde in reference to Eric's previous statement, "See? Hyde is gonna help get me through my grandma's death." Eric stated.**

**Hyde stepped in, "Your grandma's dead? Oh, man. Um..." Hyde said approaching Eric, and knelt down, "Let's go get wasted." Hyde said, grinning.**

**Eric and Hyde then went off, while Donna just sat there in anger.**

Eric opened his eyes, back in the canyon, "So 'Ill do you a favor and not get too mushy on you. But you are good friend, man. So thanks." Eric stated, he looked down at the pot bag and smiled.

Eric looked into the camera again, "Fez and Kelso. I heard a lot of people said you two would end up together." Eric stated with a laugh, "I'm just messing with you guys. But you guys will always, like everyone else, be my best friends. I swear I don't think I could have had more goofy, risk taking, and stupid friends as you two." Eric joked, "I know you, Kelso, wanted me to see when Betsy first fell of the water tower, it runs in her blood. I know you think I won't be able to, because I...ya know. But I will, I promise. And I hope she has a good life, one where she doesn't fall of the water tower every grade from middle school. I know she will, she has a good father." Eric said to his dear friend.

"Fez, I hope you accomplish your lifelong dream of going to 'Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory', I think you belong there, maybe GM of the munchkins or something. But I know you will have a successful life, making candy bars for little kids. But seriously, you kept the humor in the basement, and I hope you have all the candy you want, in your life. I'll try to leave some bags of it around your house, or in the basement whenever I can, I'll try and figure out something." Eric said to his candy loving, boob loving foriegn friend.

Thinking of all the antics Fez pulled, Eric thought to when he married his only sister to stay in the country, he didn't have a good relationship with Laurie, but she was still his sister and he loved her still. Eric laughed softly when Laurie had a phase of her trying to play the piano, she was rather good and Eric wished she still played. Eric's smile faded very quickly, "How would I know if she does? I am too much of an asshole to keep in touch with anyone." Eric said softly.

Eric sighed again, "Laurie. I know when you hear about this whole predicament I'm in...you'll either cry or laugh and call me a dumbass." Eric stated, he wasn't trying to be mean, but something he truly might believe.

"I know we never had the best brother sister relationship, but we had our moments. Even if at times it was just sitting on the couch watching TV, eating chips or something, and then it would only be a matter of time before one of us started a fight about something. I hope you still play the paino, you really were good." Eric said, Eric knew most the memories of him and Laurie involved him getting tricked into doing something embarrasing, or painful. Like getting tricked into a washing machine with a pillowcase full of bees.

"Well, I still wouldn't trade you for any other sister." Eric stated, he was glad he was nice to his sister in some situations. Like when Red was upset and he ignored Laurie when he found out she was living with some random guy.

**_Eric pretended to be hurt, "Oh, ow. But what hurts more is that you got no self respect for yourself or this family." Eric shot back._**

**_Laurie was actually hurt by that, she looked to her father for support, "Daddy..." Laurie said. _**

**_Red looked up from his plate at the table, "Well, he's not wrong." Red said. _**

**_"Red." Kitty said in her warning tone._**

**_Red looked at Kitty, "Well, Kitty...who's gonna milk the cow, when they can get the milk for free?" Red asked his wife, when she didn't reply Red went back to eating his food._**

**_Laurie looked down at the table as her own father continued to ignore her and insult her, Laurie knew why and she was also dissapointed in herself. Eric looked on and tried to convince himself that he wasn't_****_ actually feeling sorry for her, he already went over with Hyde most of the times he was screwed over by her. _**

**_Eric cleared his throat, "You know, Dad. It's not like she's hooking...she's just living with some guy." Eric said trying to ease the tension at the table._**

**_Red looked at his son, "Oh, now what are you babbling about?" Red shot at him._**

**_Eric tried not to crack under the pressure, "Dad, I think you're coming down a little hard on Laurie." Eric replied._**

**_"Well, that's nice Eric. But I'm too upset to give a crap about what you think!" Red said in a loud tone, getting up and leaving the room._**

**_"These are great potatoes Mrs. Forman." Hyde stated, oblivious to the situation._**

**_Laurie was still sad that her father was upset with her, "Thanks Eric." Laurie said, she was happy to have the person who she least expected to be, on her side._**

**_Eric nodded, "Yeah." Eric simply said._**

**_Eric and Laurie were now sitting on the couch watching the Bradys, "Ah, the Bradys were such a nice family. I bet Mr. Brady never grew to hate Marica." Eric stated out of the blue, he felt out of place since he stuck up for Laurie, so this was an attempt to get things back to normal._**

**_Laurie continued to look at the TV, "Then again, Marcia wasn't so whory." Eric said, expecting to get a hit in the face or something, but it didn't come, "No...she really wasn't" Laurie simply said._**

**_Eric gave her a confused look, "What? No, come on this is our thing. You love it, I'm mean to you, you're mean to me. So come on, hit me." Eric said in a happy tone._**

**_Laurie shook her head, "I can't today." Laurie said sadly._**

**_Eric couldn't believe this, suddenly Red came down the stairs, "Eric, you were just leaving." Red said, even though Eric didn't want to leave his sister alone with a upset Red._**

**_Eric turned, "Dad, you should pry take it a little easy on Laurie-" Eric started, Red gave him a look, "Eric."_**

**_Eric got up and walked towards his dad who was still on the landing of the stairs, "Dad, Laurie actually feels bad, so just take it easy on her, okay? This is rare too, like you with comliments." Eric said as he left the living room. _**

**_Later on, it became apparent that Laurie was moving back in, Eric couldn't help but hear the banging and yelling through his wall. Eric poked his head out in the hallway. _**

**_"Hyde, get out! It's my room!" Laurie yelled, Eric walked over and watched the scene. _**

**_"No! You're in the basement, I'm the favorite now!" Hyde shot back through the door, Eric didn't like hearing that, he would rather have Laurie as the favorite and not Hyde._**

**_"Hyde, I'm serious!" Laurie yelled, Eric just laughed at the site again._**

**_"No! I've barricaded the door, you'll never get in!" Hyde yelled through the door._**

**_Laurie groaned, "It wouldn't kill you to help me. Go get dad!" Laurie scolded Eric._**

**_Eric laughed, "You don't need dad to open a door." Eric said as he pushed Laurie aside. Eric simply opened the door, he saw Hyde's face as he realized how even though the door was barricaded with a dresser, anyone could open it from the outside in the hallway._**

**_Eric laughed, "Whew! That was exhausting!" Eric sarcastically said._**

**_Laurie held back a smile, Laurie then looked to Hyde and pushed the white dresser towards him and it fell on him. It was a light dresser so it wouldn't hurt Hyde, but it would send a message that she was the favorite again...and in her head Eric would be second and Hyde last._**

Eric opened his eyes and was happy with what he did that day, with sticking up for his sister. Eric wished he had treated her better in other situations.

He heard the beeping of the camera, he still didn't switch the battery from the other night, he knew from experience that it only had about 9, maybe 10 minutes left till it died. He decided to use it wisely.

Eric sighed, "Jackie..." Eric stated and he looked down, "Um, I hope your there watching this. I don't know how everybody is watching this, in like a lawyer's office, or right in the living room, but it would be nice if I could talk to Jackie with no one else in there." Eric told the camera, he imagined everyone questioning why would Eric want to talk to her, and them leaving the room questionably.

Eric thought to what he could have had with Jackie, he wanted to have with her what his parents had for each other. Even though they were not young like Eric and Jackie were, their love for each other never faded. Sure they argued, but what couple didn't? Eric and Jackie just had a fight before he left, and countless other ones before that, before Africa, for as long as he could remember. Eric knew Jackie didn't love him like she did years ago, and she had more then enough reasons to, he still loved her like he did years ago. Eric smiled as he has, in a sense, what his parents still have for each other, even though Jackie hates him now. Little did Eric know, Jackie still loved him like she did years ago, so they did have what Red and Kitty had.

Eric gave it about 30 seconds, giving them time to leave the room. "You were the devil, just a loud cheerleader who somehow managed to weave her way into the fabric of the group. And I should have thanked Kelso efore, because had he not decided to date you, had he not brought you to the basement when we were 7. I wouldn't have found out how awesome you were. Over the years you never considered me a friend, but I always thought of you as a friend. And despite all the insults, the burns, the screwing me over, I still considered you my friend. And then when I came home from Africa, we became friends. I know it took you by storm as well, it did for me too. But it happened for the best, because we kept getting closer and closer over the year. And that night when 1980 met 1981, we-" Eric stopped, he could picture Jackie on the couch and everybody leaning against the door trying to hear.

Eric started again, "Well, you know what happened. We tried to act cool about it, but it was definately harder then we planned. But then you came to me a couple weeks later and told me the 'news'. I know, I shocked me as well, but I found myself happy about it. I wanted to be with you for a while during that year. It just happened a little faster then I planned. And I found myself more happy then ever when we were dating after that." Eric didn't want to say what happened, it still made him feel terrible about it, but he, along with the camera were running out of time.

"It killed me about what happened with the baby, it really did. And I just didn't know how to handle it, neither of us did. But you handled it better then me, I just ran away and, like you said, I was a coward. So I..." Eric stated, but was getting choked up talking about the misscarrige, and how his relationship ending with Jackie. But this would be his last words to her, Eric exhaled and started again, "I love you, Jackie. I always will and I'm sorry about how I acted with everything. I really wish I could have done it better, but I can't. So I'm sorry, I'll always be with you, Jackie. I'll be with all of you, and I have come to terms with everything I've done..." Eric was choking up, but calmed himself down, he said his last words to his family.

"Goodbye and I love you." Eric said, the camera beeped again, it only had a few minutes left. He shut it off and slid the screen back in the camera. He scratched the back of his neck, he only had to wait about a day, maybe 2 days until he died.

Eric took his knife, and spent the rest of the day carving his name into canyon wall, trying to get the writing as deep as he could in the wall.

'Eric Forman, 1960 - 1984'

_I know cliffhangers, no pun intended, the story is far from over. Eric still has some time until his body starts to die, but I wouldn't want to spoil anything for people who have not seen the movie. PLEASE REVIEW..._


	6. The Midnight Special

_**AN: **Hey, again! This chapter I hope is a good one. There is some action right off the bat...it is short mind you._

_2:00AM, Canyonlands, Utah..._

**_CRACK!_ **

A sound that made Eric jump out of his sleep, Eric looks around panicked. Another loud crack booms echoing in his ears and the canyon, he looks down to see dark spots on his cargo shorts.

Eric looked up, and there is an angry looking, black motherfucker of a cloud above him. One spot of rain lands on him, then another, then they come at Eric in all directions. And another crack sounds off, it sounded like the earth had split in half.

Eric then had a flashback to five days ago, remebering a sign that read: DANGER! FLASH FLOODS.

Eric reacts as if it has come to get him. Panic.

Eric was packing up his things as fast as he could, Eric looked up to the sky again, and this wasn't gonna be a drizzle rain episode, "No...no." Eric mutterd in utter panic.

He wrenches at the boulder, pulls, pushes. Moans, heaves. Nothing, of course.

Massive, thunderhead clouds rolling in, impossibly fast. The desert dust is hit by silent bullets. Raindrops gathering and multiplying, soaking the sand dark, and then flowing into a groove and slit, being joined by other rivulets until water is running, finding its way along the jagged cracks in the ground. The sky is furious black. Lightning arcs across the sky.

Eric's sky darkens above him. He looks truly scared, has somehow found some energy. Gathers the rest of his possessions together. Sticks out his tongue to catch the drops.

"Please God, no. Not this." Eric said aloud, as he tried desperately to get what water he could.

Water is pouring into a bigger channel. The water, being joined by other rivulets until in turn, we join a bigger water-course. Another channel explodes as a volume of water engulfs it. The water picks up speed, looking for release, for a gulley, for a canyon. The bottom of the canyon has become a river. It is surging down the natural pipe-work of the desert.

Eric can see the S-shaped log from 5 five days before as unimaginable tons of water come pouring suddenly over the lip of the canyon. The canyon becomes a six foot wall of churning mud and debris, hurtling downwards.

Eric is tugging at his arm trying to dislodge it, without time to register, the wall of water hits him. In an instant, he is engulfed with freezing water. Gasping at the cold, wrenching his head to one side to get out of the main force of the blast. He tries to gain height, but the water is filling the canyon by the second.

"No, no, no!" Eric screamed as the water is at his neck and rising fast. His head is only just above the water level. He is going under. Takes a last few desperate breaths before the water closes over him.

Eric is underwater, in the churning, dark waters. Only Eric's body thrashing around desperately. Then in the maelstrom of mud, Eric's eyes widened as the boulder shifted. Eric grunted angrily trying to take advantage of physics, and force the rock to go up.

The arm pulls, tugs. And then...Eric was free. Eric glanced at his hand, it really was something out of 'The Thing'. It was completely gray, all signs of any blood were gone, being without circulation for 5 days.

Eric swam towards the surface, and broke through the water's surface, roaring for breath. Gasping, choking. Alive. And moving with the current. He is smashed into one side of the canyon and then the other. His good hand tries to grip onto anything, but the canyon walls are smooth, holdless. He barrels onwards, a man on a rollercoaster, rolling, smashing, careering along the twists and turns of the canyon. The canyon spits out his writhing body into a wider valley. The water is slowing. Eric's body bumps its way to a halt on a tiny 'beach'. Motionless.

Eric's head is on the sand. No movement. For a long time. Eric's eyes finally opened, he grunted in pain. A barely perceptible grunt. The mouth opens slightly and water pours out.

Painfully, slowly, the broken and in pain Eric rolls onto his back. Stares at the pink, orange, deep blue streaks in the sky. Heaves himself upright. Looks down at his hand again. Mottled white and grey, a dead surgical glove at the end of his arm.

Eric gets to his knees. His feet. Steadies himself for a long moment. And then starts to stagger forwards, a man learning to walk again. Grunting with pain and exhaustion.

"Oh, God." Eric stated as the overwhelming pain greeted him.

Eric had made his way to the car park, he fell to his knees and looked, squinted as he tried to find his car. But it was unseeable, not do to the fact there were other cars, because there wern't, it was do to all the rain and fog and the fact it was 3:00 at night. Another CRACK of lightening struck and shocked Eric, he slumped to the side, but managed to keep his balance in his knees.

_"Why did I pick the black Bronco?!" _Eric thought to himself, another crack of lightening echoed, from the light of the blot he saw his car. He got up quickly and jogged to his truck.

Eric was now kneeling by the back door of his truck. His face is flush with the smooth metal, actually against it. A smile of love. He could be kissing it. But he's actually trying to unlock it, his face inches from the lock, his trembling hand wrestling with the keys. Eventually, he gets the key in. Turns it. Bliss.

Eric is sitting, slumped against his truck, drinking a bottle of Gatorade from the unopened pack of about 8 bottles.

Gatorade is being poured down his throat as he gulps and gulps. Gatorade is running all over his face. He can't get it down fast enough. It is liquid pornography.

Eric pauses to groan with sheer delight. Looks down at his useless hand. Starts laughing and laughing. With relief, with delight. He was really OUT, he laughed and laughed and over the course of 10 minutes he drank the entire 8 pack of Gatorade.

He drove out of Canyonlands, he hit the radio,_ Run DMC's It's Like That _was on. Eric drove well into the morning huched over with his one hand, driving with the other. Eric loved that he was out, but still. There is something weird and unearthly about this, time seemed to be moving too fast, but Eric's _unconcious _mind blamed it on his dead hand.

Eric is driving over 100 mph on the freeway, heading towards Wisconsin, dozens of cars honking at him, ordering him to slow down. "Fuck off!" Eric would yell to them.

Eric eyes were heavy, he was getting weaker, he took his knife and stabbed his arm, waking him up along with his senses.

Eric saw the sign, "Welcome to Point Place. Don't Date Kelso." Eric drove past and did a double take, _"What? That isn't supposed to be there!" _Eric thought to himself. He did in fact recall the time he joked about that, but waved it off as his arm may have been causing him to see things.

Eric was growing weaker and slapped himself to stay up, "Come on, almost there." Eric told himself.

Eric noticed the familer Wal-Mart glowing giant letters, he knew her house was only a couple hunderd yards away. He came to it, he opened his door without even stopping his car, he finally did. He didn't bother to shut the car off, he simply ran across the street and was almost hit by a car. Eric ignored the driver swearing at him. Eric sprinted up her steps and knocked on her door frantically, he was still soaked.

Eric knocked on the door, he saw her BMW Sedan in her driveway, "Jackie!" Eric yelled, he peered into the glass, and saw her blurred image come into view.

He stepped back as she opened the door, Jackie stood there her wonderful bruntte hair and she stared in shock as Eric begged her for forgiveness, Jackie still looked in shock at Eric's state. Eric watched during his speech as her eyes went to his hand clutched against his chest, she gasped at it.

Jackie's face went from shocked to dissapointment slowly, "Please. Please." Eric said, Jackie shook her head and slammed the door right in his face. The noise the door brought from slamming it was louder then the thunder from before.

It was so loud it woke Eric up from his dream, it took Eric a minute to process it, he shot up from leaning on the rock, he was drenched. Not with water, but the sweat from the intensity of his dream.

"No! No!" Eric yelled, he looked around and tried to run, but was yanked back to this damn rock.

"Fuck! NO! Please! God, no!" Eric yelled, he never went anywhere. It all seemed so real. Eric spent the rest of the morning still not believing how his dream wasn't real.

_I know it was a short chapter, but it was simply a filler chapter...Please review. =)_


	7. Memories and Whatnot

_Hey, there. I really appreciate the encouragement from all of you..._

_1:30PM, Point Place, Wisconsin..._

Brooke, Kelso, Red and Kitty were all waiting outside Jackie's door waiting for an answer. They had called well over a dozen times, but only got a message machine. They knocked again, "Jackie, open up!" Kelso begged, hoping to get his bedridden friend up.

Kelso groaned, "Jackie, if you don't let us in, I'm kicking down the door!" Kelso warned, "I'm a cop, so I...kinda am allowed to." Kelso said using his police perks for an advantage.

Brooke held up her hand, "Micheal." Brooke warned, she pushed him aside, and she opened the door without any problems, Brooke looked to Kelso, Kelso seemed dumbfounded.

Red looked to Kelso, "Dumbass." Red stated, "Well, hey! You were the one who said it was locked." Kelso shot back. Red simply turned back to him, Kelso needed no further prompting to shut up.

The house was in disaray, it looked like a recent widows den. Kelso turned on the lights, "Geez..." Kelso stated. Brooke looked to the message machine, she saw the red blinking number, 6.

Kelso didn't stay for some Easter Egg hunt, although he liked the general idea of that, he came to try to cheer Jackie up. He hoped him saying that they would go to Neveda themselves to see if Eric was alright would cheer her up. Kitty and Red stayed in the living room, while Brooke and Kelso went to Jackie's room. Kitty had told Red everything that happened with Jackie. Red kept all personal insults away from Jackie and Eric for their sake. Red thought Kitty was making a joke, or got the kid's names mixed up when Kitty told him. But she assured it was Jackie and Eric.

They opened the door and Jackie was still sleeping, this wasn't normal for her. She was an early bird when it came to getting up on time. Brooke told Fez to take charge of the Record Store for now.

Jackie had tissues all over the floor, making Brooke know she didn't try to put them in the garbage bin, "Jackie, come on. You should get up, it's 1:30...in the afternoon." Brooke stated to Jackie, who was under the covers.

Kelso shut the door behind him, "Jackie, I have some good news." Kelso stated sitting on the bed, moving a box of empty chocolates aside. Jackie groaned, "Go away, you guys." Jackie spoke.

"Do you wanna hear the good news, Jackie?" Kelso asked hopefully.

Jackie threw the covers over her, she shifted up somewhat to the head of the bed, "Ugh...what?" Jackie asked not very interested in this 'cheer up'.

Kelso laughed, "Well, since your obviously very enthused about it..." Kelso stated, Brooke smacked his arm.

Kelso lightly hit her back on the arm, Brooke widened her eyes, the second warning of the day to Kelso, "Anyway...I am actaully going to Nevada to his apartment. Brooke _might _go...depending on her behavior." Kelso warned back to Brooke.

Kelso turned back to Jackie, "We are gonna see if he is there. I would have his boss do it. But, he doesn't have permission to do that, but I got my permit to do so this morning. So, if he himself isn't there, we'll look for clues about where he might be. And if you go, you might be able to fix things with him." Kelso added.

Jackie's eyes widened, "What?" Jackie asked, curious as to how Micheal knew, Brooke saw this, "Jackie, I told him. He had to know, and it was for the better." Brooke said, hoping Jackie wouldn't be seething.

"How? How is that for the better?" Jackie asked heatedly.

"Because, right after I told him, he went out in the middle of the night to file a missing person report. And now, we were gonna go to Utah to see where he is." Brooke replied.

Jackie inhaled, "Fine." Jackie simply said, "When are you going?" Jackie asked.

Brooke's eye brows forrowed, "Well...we gonna head there _now_. But we wanted to ask you if you wanted to go with?" Brooke replied, making it sound like a question also.

Jackie sighed, "I don't know. Trapped in a car with you two? I think I'll stay." Jackie stated.

Just then Red came in, he smiled to Jackie, "Well...I think it might be fun to take a road trip, Jackie." Red assured, Jackie looked up, "How many people know about this?" Jackie asked.

Red laughed, "Only everyone in this house, with Kitty. She is making you breakfast in the kitchen." Red replied.

Jackie had to smile, a faint one, but still a smile.

"Now I'll even go with. And if Kettlehead gives you any stress, I drop him off right there on the side of the road." Red joked, but still serious.

Jackie laughed, "Yeah...I guess I'll go with." Jackie stated.

"Good." Red said, he then glared at Kelso with a smile on his face, Kelso knew it wasn't anything funny, exept to Red of course, "You got that, kettlehead?" Red asked, Kelso just nodded.

"Good. Now get ready, it should take about 2 days to get there. I looked at my map and Nevada is about 1,800 miles away, and I just got my retirement check, so I'll cover expenses." Red offerd, "And I brought the Jeep Wagoneer, it's from this year, and it's got heat and everything, so don't worry about that. You can have shotgun the whole trip, okay?" Red stated.

Everyone was taken back by Red's kindness, but didn't call him on it, "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It."

Jackie laughed, "Okay. I'll get ready, just give me a minute." Jackie replied.

Kelso and Brooke smiled and went into the living room, Red patted her back, "And Eric better have a good excuse for falling of the world radar." Red said.

Jackie smiled, "I don't care about that, I just want to see him." Jackie confessed.

Red sighed, "Yeah. But still, he shouldn't have done this without saying a word." Red responded, he turned to leave and turned back in the doorway, "And he better be missing an _arm _or somethin'when I see him." Red joked, as he shut the door.

Jackie nodded and got up to get ready.

_3:00PM, Canyonland, Utah..._

Eric sighed, he didn't want to complain but he was bored! His plans of chipping away at this rock were futile, he didn't have any way to spend his time on figuring out a way to get out of here. There was always the stark choice of cutting off his arm, but his knife clearly couldn't do the job. He picked up his water bottle out of his backpack, he had to say he had about 290 ml of water left. He unscrewed the cap, and raised it slowly, he let a very small portion into his mouth, he went to put the cap back on. He paused and stared down into the plastic bottle, he looked at the water. He thought about drinking it all right now, he was gonna die anyway, after a long stare down with it, he knew it was dumbass thing to do. He shook his head, "No." Eric told himself.

It actually scared Eric to think and even act like he was losing hope. He knew hope could be his friend here, he thought back to the book, _**Rita Hayworth And The Shawshank Redemption.**_His mind wanderd to the part where Red had gotten out of prison and came to the old rock wall, and found the rock that didn't belong there. And Red opened the letter inside the box, he thought back to those words about hope in Andys letter to Red:

_"Dear Red, If you're reading this, you've gotten out. And if you've come this far, maybe you're willing to come a little further. You remember the name of the town, don't you? I could use a good man to help me get my project on wheels. I'll keep an eye out for you and the chessboard ready.** Remember, Red. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.** I will be hoping that this letter finds you, and finds you well. Your friend, Andy Dufresne." _

Eric sighed, he loved that book. He knew those words would have to be in his mind for a while, hope might be the only thing keeping him alive. He had to hope someone was hiking today and found him. He had to hope someone went to his house and found his plans to come here to Utah. He had his desk with the books on the 'Hidden Pool', that pool he never got to see. Eric imagined what it looked like now. He only had the picture in his mind of what it may have looked like: WATER.

He groaned and leaned against the rock, he missed everybody, even Laurie. He hasn't seen her in 5 years, but still, it was his sister. Eric was going to miss the 'Foot-In-Ass' remarks from Red. The great smell of breakfast in the morning from Kitty, her love and careness towards him. Hyde just sitting in his chair, thinking about the goverment out to get him. Kelso jumping off the roof. Fez's trademark, "I said good day!" comments. Donna's constant bikering about women not being treated fair.

And then there was Jackie...he missed her more then anything. Her brunette hair, her very own smell that was wonderful and all her own. The way she kissed him. Years ago, however. Every kiss with her was different, she did something new with her tongue or something. Eric smiled, those extra things she picked up from Cosmo, she would use with him. Eric missed the connection he had with her, it was still there, but was broken. Eric had plenty of chances to mend it, but he didn't. He didn't want to be here, this fucking canyon. It was just a place to run away from everyone, all his problems. He thought of himself as a coward, in every sense of the word.

He couldn't help remember the memory of the night he and Jackie 'hooked up', that was almost 4 years ago on New Year's Eve 1981.

_Point Place, Wisconsin, New Years Eve 1981..._

_Eric drank the last of his champangne out of his fancy glass, it was only his 1st of the night, it was 10:05PM. Eric was leaning on the railing that led upstairs, the living room was packed with family and friends. Hyde was talking with Donna, Kelso and Fez trying to drink the beer right from the tap, and WB just looked on laughing. He was pretty much waiting for Jackie to get here, he couldn't explain why, but they were friends and didn't tend to ask questions about it, why ruin a good thing?_

_About 10 minutes later, after a heated talk with Donna about last years New Years Eve party. She was still upset he didn't take her back, it has been over a year...come on! Jackie came thorugh the door, Eric's face lit up, "Hey." Eric greeted her. She still had the white snowflakes in her hair. Eric always thought she looked pretty but tonight she looked hot!_

_"Hey!" Jackie replied. She sped walked over and gave him a hug, hugs between them wern't that weird now. They were probably the closest friends out of the gang._

_"You look nice." Eric stated, Jackie may have said the fall was her season, and it was a good season for her. But Eric always like winter for her._

_Jackie blushed, "Aw, thank you." she replied._

_The rest of the gang almost were in denial about the fact that they were good friends now. Especially their exes, they didn't seem to like it very much. Hyde even told Eric he didn't like them being friends, but that didn't phase Eric at all. Hyde and Donna kept telling him that their friendship wouldn't last, Eric would ask why they cared so much, he never really got an answer. Donna was more 'descriptive' of how she felt about it. But even that didn't stop them, Eric knew Jackie matured immsensley over his tenure in Africa._

_Immediately after Africa, Eric wanted to settle in, so he became a railroad conducter, and he liked his job. He could honestly say it was fun to do. He even worked with one of dad's old friends from the war at the railroad place, Eric would be the conducter and Frank was the engineer. Red was even proud of him._

_Jackie even won the lottery for 50 grand 2 months after Eric got back, of course the goverment took it's share of it. But Jackie still had a decent amount of money, and she bought 'Grooves' record store right under Hyde's grasp. Jackie didn't feel guitly about it, she considered it payback for the stripper incident, and an even easier way to make a living. And Hyde went to Milwaukee to work his own 'Grooves' there._

_Jackie spent the hour telling Eric about her week at work on the ugly yellow couch, Eric listened not just cause she was his friend, but cause he was interested in what she did in her day. Jackie would tell him what record shipments she got in, what she listened to._

_Eric told her the things in the train he hauled, which was always something different, and all the people that got on his nerves that didn't know what they were doing. And Jackie would laugh._

_It was about 11:00, and Jackie spent the hour talking with Eric and drinking her wine. Over the course of that time, they kept getting looks from Donna and Hyde, Eric and Jackie did their best to ignore them._

_Jackie sighed, "I swear if they don't stop staring, I'm gonna say something." Jackie semi-warned Eric, Eric turned from the couch to see that they were 'inconspiciously' looking at them._

_Eric laughed, "Well, I need to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back." Eric said downing his last glass of wine, and getting up._

_Jackie stuttered, "What? You're gonna leave me here with them?" Jackie asked._

_"Well, your a big girl, Jackie." Eric teased, "If they give you any trouble, I'll bitch them out, okay? I won't be that long up there anyway." Eric assured._

_Jackie sighed, "Alright, fine." Jackie replied._

_Eric washed his hands and opened the door into the hallway, he saw his old room light was on, he walked over and opened it. _

_"Jackie? What are doing in here?" Eric asked, Jackie was reading some book off his shelf._

_"Oh. Well, as soon as you left, Hyde and Donna were giving me crap. So, I just came up here." Jackie explained._

_Eric laughed, "You know how they get, Jackie. I come up here, then you come up here. They'll make assumptions and stuff." Eric replied, shutting the door behind him. _

_Jackie laughed, "About what? It's not like we're having sex up here." Jackie stated. _

_Eric was taken back, he didn't expect Jackie to be so upfront using those words, "Yeah, well..." Eric replied, knowing it wasn't much of a reply, he just didn't know how to_ reply_ to that. _

_Eric and Jackie both stood there, thinking the same thing, but weren't saying anything, Jackie took a few steps more towards him. Eric was nervous and felt like he was in High School again._

Eric opened his eyes, in Utah, fours years ahead then his memory in his head. He almost fell asleep on the rock, he raised his head. His head was perked up like how a dog would be, if they saw a stranger walk up to the house. He heard his heart beating, but it didn't sound normal, it was beating fast and kept going faster. Eric took his sweatshirt off, hoping that would solve the problem. It didn't. His heart kept beating faster and the sound of it echoed in his ears.

Eric was getting worried his heart wasn't slowing down, it kept beating. Unnaturally fast. He holds his hand to it, trying to calm it, slow it down. He layed against the rock, trying to convince his body he was doing nothing to make his heart beat as fast as it was, "Oh, God. Come on." Eric told himself, he was breathing heavily.

Eric mind overtook his control, and thought back the memory.

_Jackie was now right in front of him, looking up with her wonderful mismatched colored eyes. Jackie grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down kssing him senseless. _

Eric knew the memory was causing his heart to beat so uncontrollably fast, Eric looked down to his arm. Eric thought that there might be air stuck in his arm, the tainted air of death was lingering in his arm and was effecting his whole body. The memory of Jackie kissing him kept coming back into his head.

Eric licked his upper lip, and without even warning himself, he stabbed his arm with a shout of anger using his knife.

Eric inhaled, as he felt his heart beat go down slowly to it's normal rate. He felt not so light headed, "Okay." Eric told himself as felt such relief. He finally exhaled his breath.

Eric could smell that smell of death coming from his arm, he heard the air hissing from his arm the moment he stabbed it. Eric leaned back, trying to get away from the smell. He looked to his arm with the knife still in it, Eric gripped the knife, and felt the blade connect with something hard. He taps the knife down and feels it knocking on the radius bone on his upper forearm.

He puts his ear close to his arm and wiggles the knife again.

He can hear the thocking noise.

Eric sat in silence as he thought if he could do it. He left the knife in his arm, and twisted the knife slowly.

"Bone." Eric simply stated, he wouldn't be able to do it. Cut through his bone to get out. Eric shook his head, he ripped the knife out of his arm, "Ow." Eric said to the pain.

Eric wiped the sweat away, he stood there. Eric noticed not much blood came out at all, he sighed.

"A short career in surgery." Eric said as he put the knife back in his pocket. Eric looked up to see the Raven fly by, "Hey." Eric greeted it as it flew by, not acknoledging him.

Eric knew the raven was the bird of death or something like that. Seeing the raven didn't make him reilize he was gonna die, Hell, he knew that already. It only reconfirmed it.

_Thank you for reading! PLease leave a review...=)_


	8. Road Trip and Candy

_No disrespect is intended to the film '127 Hours' or Aron Ralston...hope you like this chapter! Special thanks to **Shanghai Lily** for spelling corrections =)_

_5:00PM, Davenport, Iowa..._

The road-trip gang, which consisted of Red, Kelso, Brooke and Jackie had made a pit stop in Davenport, Iowa. Red filled the Wagoneer while Brooke, Jackie and Kelso were inside the gas station getting snacks. Brooke and Jackie had gotten everything they wanted for snacks, but were waiting for Kelso by the counter.

Brooke groaned, "Where the hell is he?" Brooke asked.

Just then, she heard Jackie laugh. Brooke turned to see Kelso with a 12 pack of Pepsi, and on top of the case, was some Jolly Ranchers, Tootsie Rolls, Pop Rocks, Atomic Fireballs, 3 Ring Pops, 1 Black Cow Bar, Lemonheads, and at least 5 feet in Necco Candy Buttons.

Jackie couldn't stop laughing at the site, "I thought we left Fez at home!" Jackie joked. Brooke stammered at the site of Kelso's 'Candy Tower'.

"Michael! What the hell is all this?!" Brooke heatedly asked him.

Kelso carefully set it all on the counter, most of the candy fell like Jenga on the counter, "Well, it's gonna be at least two days till we get there, so this will keep me from complaining." Kelso defended himself.

Brooke threw her hands up in frustration, "Are you insane?!" Brooke yelled.

Kelso was confused, and didn't know what to say, "OH. You're right, I don't think the Pop Rocks will work right if I mix it with Pepsi, I should get Coca Cola, right?" Kelso asked, thinking that is what Brooke was upset about.

"NO! Put all this back!" Brooke orderd, crossing her arms for assertion.

Kelso seemed to adopt the personallity of a 8 year old, "What? No, I'm paying for all my stuff, so it's mine!" Kelso shot back.

Jackie couldn't stop laughing, "I can't do this anymore. I'll be over there..." Jackie said still giggling.

Brooke groaned, "How do people trust you as the sheriff of the town?" Brooke asked.

"Well, I'm a cop, so I can do everything and anything I want! Including getting candy." Kelso retorted.

Brooke just glared at him, Kelso spoke up again, "I got you Cherryheads." Kelso stated.

Brooke continued to glare at him, but her glare broke into a smile, "Fine. You can get it, but you're paying for all of this." Brooke replied.

Just then, they heard a stern voice, "Dumbasses! Hurry up!" Red yelled from outside.

_6:00PM, Canyonlands, Utah..._

Eric just laid on the rock, not knowing what else to do. He was getting cold, so he picked his backpack to get his sweatshirt. When he picked it up, he set in the rock, and unzipped it to get his sweatshirt out. Eric put his sweatshirt on, he then tossed backpack back on the floor.

Eric froze. Eric heard some clattering as soon his it hit the canyon floor. Eric then had an adrenaline rush, a small one, but still had one.

He opened the zipper to the large compartment, but found nothing. He next instead felt around the backpack and eventaully found a big bulge, he felt like a kid who stayed up on Christmas to shake around their presents to try and guess the contents. He felt the bulge and it was a three dimensional square.

Eric opened the front zipper where it was, it was a aluminum tin, he picked up and it was somewhat heavy, "What the...?" Eric said curiously. Eric was dumbfound since he never recalled packing this. Eric was also confused as the why the tin had at least 100 small logo's of brands of candy.

Eric flipped the small tin around in his only hand, he heard the clattering noise, he knew it was something inside the tin. Eric eyes widned.

_"Candy logo's? Clattering noise? FEZ!"_ Eric thought eagarly.

Eric quickly tried to open the tin, he groaned as he tried to pop the lid off, "Damn it." Eric muttered. Eric set it on the rock and held it down for leverage as he tried to pry it open.

Eric then set the tin against the canyon wall on the rock, he lifted his pocket knife out of his pocket. He got out his sharp knife and jammed it up under the cap, and shimmied it from one side to the other, prying it open that way seemed like it would work. Eric heard air hissing out of the tin, "Yes." Eric said happily as it was coming open. The lid popped off enough to use his fingers to open it. Before looking in the tin, he put the knife back into his pocket.

Eric took a deep breath before looking into the tin, he saw a note elevated on top of whatever was in here. He picked up the note and read it:

_Dear Eric, _

_I do apologize about sending those porno magazines to you. Why don't you like the gifts Fez sends?! Oh, well. More of the pretty ladies on paper for me! I meant to send this to you while you were in Africa, but Fez ate the candy. But Fez finally got the self control to send this to you without eating the candy. It was no easy feat, Fez tell you! Anyway, you better not send this back, because Fez paid 3 dollars for this tin, and another 10 on candy. Fez spent 4 dollars on you, and 6 for Fez. _

_PS: I had a good idea for your casino! When you win on those slot machines, instead of money that comes out...CANDY should come out! I would definately visit that casino of yours much more often. If you use that idea, you better give Fez his cut!_

_Fez_

Eric laughed almost the entire time reading the note, it was nice to see a memory that wasn't in his head from his friends. Even in letters, Fez would talk in third person. And that idea of Fez's is a great idea! Candy coming out would make Eric himself play on those slot machines. Eric became sad, knowing that he was too much of a dick to read this, or even open it.

Eric had almost forgot about the tin himslef, he set the note down under his camera, so it wouldn't fly away or anything. Eric grabbed the tin and sure enough there was candy in it.

Eric, at the moment, thought it was the most beautiful thing he had seen in days. There was assortments of Jolly Ranchers, and 3 packs of Pop Rocks in the bottom of the tin.

"Bitchin!" Eric stated as he quickly tried to figure out which one to open first.

Even though Eric had water, he had to conserve it, he was thirsty as hell. Eric knew from past experiences, that Jolly Ranchers would make more saliva produce with the flavor of the Jolly Ranchers along with it.

Eric knew he was gonna die here and didn't waste any time consuming his candy, so he unwrapped all 13 Jolly Ranchers which were Apple and Blueberry and shoved them in his mouth. Eric gave the candy a minute to break down in his mouth.

After about 20 minutes of just sitting there and basking in the candy coma he was having right now, he noticed that all the candy had disolved.

He swallowed it in a Appley Blue gulp, he sighed billsfully. Eric knew that had he had hope of actaully getting out of this alive, what he did would actaully be rather stupid. But he didn't have hope of getting out of here. It bothered Eric that he knew he was gonna die, but let's face it, he was.

No one knew where he was, no one assumed anything was wrong. Hell, they pry all thought he was fine, Eric not talking to his family was normal.

"I'm such a dick..." Eric stated, Eric knew what he did wrong, so even saying; "As soon as I get out of here-" would remind him that he _wasn't _gonna get out of here.

Eric was gonna save the Pop Rocks for later. He picked up his water bottle and unscrewed the cap, he looked down the bottle, Eric knew it would only keep him alive unitl, maybe tommorow night, if he was lucky. And then that would be it.

Eric sighed, he tipped the bottle into his mouth, he put the amount of water you would get in a shot glass for alchohol. Once the water was in his mouth, he leaned his head back, and put the cap back on and set it on the rock. He swallowed the water and sighed.

While Eric was leaned back, it caused his lungs to start weezing, his heart was beating fast just like last night. Eric hadn't taken his inhaler in a while. Eric elavated himself up to get his inhaler off the rock. Eric felt his heart beating faster, so he quickly held it up to his mouth, and inhaled his medicine. Eric inhaled it again, and his chest felt better.

He set it back on the rock, and intentionally fell backwards knowing his arm wouldn't let him fall on his ass. Eric sighed as looked up towards the sky, it was one of those nights where the stars were out and so was the moon. His heart was still beating faster then normal, Eric didn't attempt to to do anything to make it stop, only moving his hand in circles over it hoping to comfort it. Only moving his arm, he raised it up to his eye shot, and read the time: _7:53PM._

Eric continued to stare up at the sky, Eric's mind wondered to the memory of when Jackie gave him the 'news'.

_1982, Point Place, Wisconsin..._

_Eric found himself driving aimlessly around town, he just got off of work. Eric strangely found himself lost. Not in the town, but emotionally and spirtually. Eric was sad throughout the past 2 weeks, Jackie had suddenly stopped talking to him, calling him, wanting to hang out. Jackie didn't return the phone calls he left her. Eric knew it was about the night they spent together on New Years, and he missed her friendship, he missed Jackie in general. _

_Eric laughed with self pitty, "Another friend gone." Eric thought to himself. With Jackie gone, he only had Kelso and Fez. And they weren't even living in Point Place anymore, Kelso said Brooke told him she would let him live with her in Point Place if he could proove he was mature. And Hyde was just...Eric found it hard on how to describe his friendship with him now. They almost weren't friends anymore. And Donna refused to talk to him, since he himself refused to be with her on New Years in 1979. Eric missed his friendship with Donna also, he knew that relationships just ruined friendship. _

_That's when it hit him: relationships would ruin the friendship you had with them before the break up. The relationship ruined his friendship with Donna after the first breakup, and the same applied now._

_Eric was gonna head over to her house himself, Eric wasn't gonna lose Jackie as a friend, she was too important to him._

_Eric got his bearings and looked to what street he was on, he saw the Walmart and knew Jackie's house was just a few block down from there. Eric stopped on her street in front of her house, he saw her coming out of her house._

_Eric got out of his car, he jogged up to Jackie, "Jackie, wait." Eric stated._

_Jackie was locking her door when she heard Eric, "Eric." Jackie simply stated, Eric could tell she didn't want to see him._

_Eric wasted no time in talking with her, "Jackie, I know that because of what happened, you don't want to be with me. And that's...fine, okay?" Eric said, Jackie still looked gorgeous in the wintertime, "I wouldn't want to be nothing between us, cause you're really important to me." Eric started._

_It was obvious that Jackie wanted to leave, "Look, Eric. I have a doctor appointment right now, and I'm late." Jackie replied, stepping forward to brush past Eric._

_Eric turned around to her and stepped back in front of her, "Jackie, please. I don't want to lose our friendship because of what happened, okay?" Eric tried to reason with her._

_Jackie shook her head, "Eric, really. I'm late and I have to go." Jackie replied._

_"Jackie, just listen. You're to important to me to have us lose everything because of what happened. I mean, it isn't like I haven't thought about what we would be like as...ya know." Eric said trying to get through to her._

_Jackie sighed, and seemed to give him a look to continue, "But if that isn't what you would want, I would take your friendship in a second, cause I wouldn't want nothing for us." Eric pleaded._

_Jackie was touched, she had thought about a relationship with Eric too, but now things were complicated, "Eric, I appreciate that, but I have an appointment and I am already late." Jackie replied, walking past Eric again._

_Eric turned around, "Jackie, come on. Please-" Eric started, Jackie turned back around, "Eric, I have to go! I'm late!" Jackie yelled._

_Eric was taken back by her yelling at him like that, it was just a doctor appointment, "I'll let you go, I just-" Eric started again._

_"Eric, I'm_ **late**_!" Jackie stated, with more emphasis on the word, 'late'. Eric was confused as she stood there staring at him waiting for him to get it._

_Eric suddenly got it, she was **late, **"Oh...you...mean?" Eric said, he couldn't think of what to say about it. _

_Jackie simply looked at him and nodded, "Yeah." Jackie replied. _

_Eric waited as it sunk in, "Um...is it...?" Eric started, pointing towards himself._

_Jackie's eyes widened, "YES. Whose elses would it be? What, do you think I sleep with all these different guys or-" Jackie retorted agrily, taking steps towards Eric._

_Eric caught on to what he said, "Jackie, no! That isn't what I meant at all, I swear-" Eric started, "I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have said that, I'm just...surprised...is all." Eric replied._

_Eric waited a minute, "Well..are you keeping it?" Eric asked her, hoping she wouldn't freak out on him again._

_Jackie paused, "Yes, I am keeping it. I couldn't bring myself to not keep it." Jackie replied, she assumed Eric would be against keeping it._

_Eric paused and looked down, he looked back up, "Well, that is the right thing to do. So that's good." Eric replied truthfully._

_Jackie was somewhat shcoked, "What? Your on board for that?" Jackie asked him._

_Eric looked at her like she was crazy, "Of course, Jackie. I mean granted, we didn't plan this, but...we couldn't do that." Eric replied again._

_Jackie found herself very relieved, "Eric, I...can't tell you how much that means to me." Jackie said with a smile._

_Eric laughed softly, "Yeah, I am still shocked about it, but I want to be in this with you...and with the kid. I want to do this right, Jackie." Eric stated, taking her hand._

_Jackie smiled and looked down to her stomach where the baby was, Eric spoke up again, "So...if you could just tell me, one thing I'm supposed to do right and I'll do my best to do that..." Eric started, Jackie laughed, she knew Eric would always make her laugh despite any situation she was in._

_"I have no clue either..." Jackie said laughing._

_Eric laughed again, they were both staring at each other. Eric thought Jackie looked beautiful tonight, the white snowflakes were in her hair, which was curled perfectly. Eric closed the space between them and kissed her, it was slow at first, but Jackie couldn't help herself as she opened her mouth and slid her tongue in his, and Eric returned the favor as he played with her tongue. Jackie moaned as put arms around his neck, pressing her body closer to his, Eric put his hands on her hips. _

_Jackie moaned again as she pulled away and rested her head on his forehead, "Wow." Jackie said with a laugh. _

_"Wow." Eric repeated, Jackie smiled as she pulled away and kissed him again. _

Eric opened his eyes waking up from the dream, Eric was breathing heavily, the memory was almost too good to leave. And it wasn't by choice, he hated when his body woke him up from great dreams. He still hadn't moved from his spot, he raised his arm to view the time: _9:02PM._

He simply let his arm fall, Eric sighed as he felt his heart beating like crazy again. Eric didn't care anymore, as he just tried to drift off to sleep.

_Topher girl0102's work will be used in the next chapter, that will be fun to read. And I will point out when her work is used! I know this was a short chapter was short, but I still hoped you like it. And please leave a review..._


	9. Venom

_Hey, there! _**_Topher Girl 0102's _**_work is used in this chapter a lot, so I don't take credit for that. I will put a little note saying at what point her work isn't used anymore in the chapter. I know that you like this chapter! This first part is all her work_

Jackie was in a good mood in the gas station, but almost as soon as she left, she found herself getting more and more emotional as they got closer to Nevada, and she was flodded with memories of what happened years ago. Everyone in the car seemed to notice when they crossed states Jackie became more and more silent. Up to the point where she would stare out the window, as if she were thinking about something.

They were almost mid way now between Wisconsin and their destination. Jackie leaned her head back against the seat of the car and closed her eyes. Red was behind the wheel and Michael was in the back, and Brooke was seated next to him. Kelso was recalling his memory with funny cop stories that none of them were really listening to. Brooke, sitting next to her, spoke up almost every hour, wondering the same thing again and again - if Betsy was okay back home under Kitty's care. She kept hoping Betsy wouldn't give Kitty too hard a time. Thinking of Betsy brought back those memories that she thought she had managed to put aside forever. Seeing Eric last week and all this worry about his safety in the days after, hadn't helped either. Their child would have been 2 years old this year...

She kept her eyes firmly closed as she felt hot tears gather behind her eyelids. None of her friends needed to know how many nights she still cried into her pillow. For a very short period of time in early '82, she had known a joyous happiness that she had never thought possible. But it hadn't lasted. Fairy tales never did, she reminded herself bitterly. A part of her had not been shocked at all when she had seen the double blue line forming on the pregnancy test. She had taken the test exactly 2 weeks after her period had been due, but she had felt the life growing inside her already, weeks before that. Perhaps it was possible for women to sense the exact moment of conception, she wondered.

Because she knew she had felt things that night she shared with Eric, that she had never ever felt before... She had booked her appointment with the doctor for the week after but in the days before that, she had read a lot. It was the end of January then and the books said she was already 6 weeks pregnant, not 4 as she would have otherwise assumed. Her baby was due 34 weeks later, in early October. She smiled a little at that; a 'fall' baby to be born in her favourite season, just as all the leaves were turning red. As she waited a week to see her doctor, she was amazed that she wasnt panicking at all. "Was she crazy?", she asked herself. Here she was pregnant, at not yet 20, her college plans would have to be shelved and worst of all, she was going to be a single parent. But instead of regretting her foolish impulsiveness on the night of New Year's eve, she was busy looking at baby catalogs and smiling everytime she touched her stomach. But then she had already stopped believeing in fairy tale endings a while ago. Both the guys she had loved had run away from her in fear of committment. Both had run from the idea of building a future with her. Her belief in the 'perfect guy' had faded along with her faith in unicorns. She was strangely happy that it wasnt any of the broken loves of her life that had resulted in this pregnancy.

This was Eric's baby and it felt good to know that when her child asked her wistfully whether his or her father was a kind person, she would not have to hesitate even a second to answer. Eric was the only guy she knew, who was not only kind, but was never afraid to show it either. But she had already made her mind up that she would never tell him that the child was his. She didn't want to see the trapped look in his eyes before he set aside his dreams yet again to do 'the right thing'. She would much rather raise the baby on her own and she would do everything she could to make sure the baby had a happy childhood.

She shifted a little restlessly in her seat. Her resolution to not tell Eric about the pregnancy had lasted just a week. He had shown up at her doorway, wanting to know why she hadn't taken any of his calls. When he told her that he was hoping they could still stay friends, if nothing else was possible, it moved her almost to tears. She couldn't NOT tell him then. She couldn't have hoped for a most positive reaction. The panic and despair that she had feared seeing in his eyes had been missing completely. He had come with her to see her doctor that day. She had thought she'd be nervous, but having Eric sitting next to her in the waiting room, holding her hand, had calmed her down almost completely. And a small part of her hadn't been able to stop thinking about the kiss they had shared outside her house, even as they were waiting to be called in. The doctor had confirmed her dates after a few simple tests and had sent her home with iron and vitamin supplements. She was asked to come back in a few weeks for her first scan when she would get to see her baby on screen.

They had spent hours searching Eric's Condo for clues. Dusk was turning to nightfall now and Jackie went around the house, switching on a few soft lights. Red was tired, both from the road trip and the increasing worry about Eric. He settled down on the couch, in front of the television, and left Kelso to continue looking around. Brooke had wandered to the small kitchen, to try and rustle up some food for the tired group.

Jackie decided to lie down for a short while, and went into Eric's room. The brown colored blanket folded across the bed, reminded her of his room back at home. She lay down, pressing her face into his pillow. She had furtively been hoping to catch a lingering whiff of his spicy aftershave but all that was there was the faint lemony scent of laundry detergent. Her head ached a little and she wanted to rest, but sleep eluded her. After a few minutes, she pulled herself up and opened the top drawer of the nightstand. She was hoping to find something to take for her headache and maybe help her sleep. Jackie gasped when she saw the thin roll of ultrasound film that was tucked away in a corner. She was pretty sure she knew what it was. Her hand was shaking as she pulled it out and looked at the image of the fetus that had once been growing inside her. It was the 10 week scan photo taken only a fortnight before she had lost the baby. She fell back again on the bed, giving into the tears she had been holding back the whole day.

The dream had lasted only a little more than a month. Eric had wanted both the parents to know about the pregnancy. But she had sworn him to secrecy. "Lets tell them only when we have to." she had said, knowing that she wouldnt start to show for a couple of months more. She had wanted to hug the secret to herself for as long as possible. Partly because she knew her parents would try to convince her to have an abortion and she wanted to tell them only when it was too late for that to be an option they could force her into.

But how many times had she regretted the decision not to tell Kitty and Red about it? The doctors had tried convincing her in the aftermath, that miscarriages had no causal factor. That it wasn't anything she did or didnt do in the preceding days. But she had never been able to entirely stop blaming herself. In the weeks before, she had made sure that she ate three sensible meals a day and slept enough. She hadn't even gone near the basement for fear that she might inhale some of the smokey fumes that usually hung around in there.

Eric seemed to have slipped into 'boyfriend mode' naturally. It felt almost as if they had been a couple much before this, but that the pregnancy had finally made it official. He had come with her to the scan appointment and she could feel his hand pressing hers as they saw the tiny life moving about in the screen above them. As they were leaving, she had been given an appointment card for her 20 week scan. It was more than two months away at that point, but she had been thrilled to know that she would know the gender of the baby then. A couple of weeks later, Eric had come over to her house unexpectedly. Her mother was out and she took him directly upstairs to her room. He looked serious and she sensed he had come there to talk about their future. There had been so much affection in his eyes as he broached the subject of marriage. She had pointed out to him all the practical obstacles. But he had sounded so confident that they could make things work. It wasn't an undying declaration of love, but he was her best friend now and she knew he cared. And she knew he would love the baby with all his heart.

How could she possibly not have said yes...That night, when she lay in bed, she felt an amazing sense of peace and contentment. The pregnancy had been completely unexpected, but now it suddenly felt like her dreams were coming true rather than being ruined... she really did believe that they could make the marriage work even though they were still so young. She would support him in making all his dreams and ambitions come true. He may not be in love with her yet but she would make him fall in love with her by being the perfect wife.

He was coming over the next day morning to take her shopping, he had offered to do so when he had seen all the maternity wear catalogs lying open on her bed that day. Just a few hours to go to see him again and she could hardly wait... She dozed off and when she woke the next day morning, her world was crashing down on her...It was the wet sheets that made her jerk awake, it felt like someone had tipped a warm bucket of water into her bed...except that this water was crimson red... she had read enough to know that the baby was in trouble. Her eyes flew first to the clock beside her bed, Eric was due here in less than half an hour, to pick her up. They would have to go straight to the hospital. Her mother was probably still asleep, Jackie didnt want her to find out now, not like this...She went into the bathroom and cleaned herself up, the tears started flowing when she realised she was still bleeding slightly, although it was now down to a dull trickle ...the foetus was a few days short of just 12 weeks and she knew it was dying... She slipped into a red colour simple dress and was crying even harder as she pulled the blood stained sheets off her bed and clutched it to her for a minute before leaving it in a rolled heap in a corner of her bedroom.

By the time Eric's car pulled up outside her house, she was ready and waiting outside. He started the car immediately at her terse "I'm bleeding...we have to get to the hospital". Somehow he managed to drive her there carefully while speeding at the same time.

She could see the sympathy in the nurse's eyes as she was led into an examining room immediately. Both the nurses asked her not to weep as she lay down, it wouldnt be good for the baby if she was upset, they said. Eric was right next to her, looking just as helpless and shocked as she felt... The heartbeat monitor was brought out again quickly, but this time only a very loud silence filled the room as the nurses searched about at various spots across her stomach. She was crying again by the time they gave up and this time they didnt tell her that she had to stop crying for the baby's sake.

Eric never left her side as she waited endless minutes for the doctor, but she kept her eyes closed and her head turned away, she didnt feel like talking right then. The doctor confirmed what they already knew, within the hour. A scan was taken to corroborate what the monitor's silence had already indicated, her baby was no longer inside her...

She was given a sedative to rest for a while, but after another examination in the evening to check that the bleeding had completely stopped, she was allowed to go home with instructions to stay in bed for a couple of days. Under the circumstances, the doctors and staff couldnt have been more reassuring than they were, but she was hardly listening to them as she prepared to leave.

The drive back in the car was painfully silent - her feeling of contentment from the previous night had been completely replaced with a numbing feeling of emptiness...she heard Eric try and say reassuring things to her, but she was still not in a state of mind to listen to anyone right then. Another dose of medication had been given before she had left and she was very sleepy again.

He came by again the next day, in the evening. She had barely gotten out of bed the whole day and didnt plan to either for the rest of the week...and she had no plans for any of the weeks after that either...She had seen his eyes tear up as well when the doctor had confirmed the bad news to them at the hospital, but he looked resigned now. He said a few things, about how she had been awesome these past weeks , and that she had done the best she could for the baby, and that these things happened, and that he was sad about it too ...but he didnt say the one thing she really wanted to hear him say that day, the one thing that might have made her feel better right then...that he still wanted to be with her, and that they would have a baby again someday...She asked him to leave after a while, pleading the excuse that she wanted to sleep ...she didnt return any of his calls in the days after that, and then eventually the calls stopped.

_Canyonlands, Utah..._

Eric had still been in the same posistion as last night, he had not moved at all, through the 5 foot space above him that made him view the sky, he watched it all night, he watched the moon spend it 15 minutes pass over the space until it eventaully went out of the view of the space he had. Thinking about that made him remember he still had time to catch the raven on camera, it came by every single day he had been here at exactly 11:00 o'clock.

He knew he still had time on his camera until it completely died, he guessed he had about 5 minutes left until it died. He had no idea what time it was, exept for the fact that it was daytime. He wheezed his chest and raised his hand to check the time: 10:12pm.

He groaned and didn't have alot to do until that happened, he did have his memory. He thought he could think back to the time he and Jackie really had sex that night. He just hoped that his body would actaully let him finish the memory...

_Point Place, Wisconsin, New Year's Eve, 1981..._

_**(TopherGirl's work)**Eric was taken aback when Jackie grabbed his collar and proceeded to kiss him more thoroughly than he had ever been kissed before. For a few minutes, he couldn't focus on anything except how good this felt. Her lips were parting his, and her warm hands were stroking his neck and shoulders. When she pulled his tongue into her mouth and proceeded to suck on it, he felt almost dizzy. His body was responding in ways that it hadn't done with any girl in a long while now. He found himself struggling to restrain his urge to push her firmly up against the wall behind her and let his hands find out if she really would feel as good as she did when she sometimes appeared suddenly in his dreams…_

_She was his best friend now! The only person who seemed to really still really care about what he was thinking and feeling, how his week at work had been, and whether he still had dreams of college. He couldn't ruin their friendship for the sake of a steamy one night stand…No matter how much his senses screamed at him to not stop, he had to. He didn't want to lose her since she was way too important to him now._

_He pushed her gently back against the wall to stop her from leaning against him and then he stopped the kiss by lightly nibbling on her neck for a minute before taking her hands off him and holding them in his palms, "Jackie." his voice was low and soft, "We can't do this… not right now, not like this" Eric said, even though he would mentally scold himself later._

_She felt like someone had rudely poured cold water all over her. One minute they had been sharing an extremely hot kiss and the next he was looking at her like he was a disappointed church elder or something….What the hell? She closed her eyes again. He still stood very close to her and she could feel his arms on either side of her, she couldn't even walk away, she was almost trapped between his body and the wall behind her. She was almost shocked to realise that despite his pulling away, she still desperately wanted to pull him down to her for another kiss. She could feel his breathing against her hair, it was still uneven._

_He had enjoyed the kiss too; she couldn't possibly have just imagined his reaction ….then why had he stopped? Confusion and embarrassment assailed her… Did he still have feelings for Donna? Or was there someone else that he hadn't told any of them about. Their friendship had started right after he had returned from Africa, almost 2 years ago. Somewhere, along the way they had become quite close. Did he not want anything more? Had she misread all the signals? All these months of togetherness, was he just being polite and nice then? Eww. How could she have mistakenly assumed that he wanted this too?_

_She didn't know how to react or recover from this situation, this was the first time she had thrown herself in this way at a boy and the first time she had been turned down like this as well. She pushed his arms away to free herself to walk away. He had seen the embarrassed look on her face before she pushed his hands away. He was right, he thought, she was already regretting the momentary impulse, which had to mean she would only have gotten more upset if they hadn't stopped. Maybe she would relax if they pretended like nothing happened and moved on…he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable around him or anything now._

_"Jackie, should we go downstairs? It'll be midnight soon." Eric said unsurely, he was still standing very close to her and found himself completely unable to move away. This had to be the ultimate brush off, she thought. He wanted to move past the kiss and was now pretending like it never even happened._

_Without answering, she pushed him away from her with as much force as she could muster in her tiny palms, and started walking away toward the door. "Jackie, are you okay?" Eric asked with concern. She was almost at the door, and she spoke her mind without thinking first. "I'm very mad at you..." She hadn't even turned to face him as she stood by the door, desperately wanting to leave now and find somewhere to hide for a while…_

_"Why? What did I do …?" Eric snapped, there was an edge to his tone now, like he was losing his patience with her moody behaviour. She opened her mouth to give a furious answer and then stopped. Her mind was racing with overwhelmingly confusing thoughts… Why did I say that? What am I supposed to say now? I'm mad because you didn't want to kiss me! I'm angry with you because you don't feel the same way about us that I do! Was she going to humiliate herself even more by saying all that? No way!_

_Jackie finally found her voice, "Whatever." She said coolly and put her hand on the doorknob to pull it open. But now he was angry too. His nerves were still angrily protesting being forced to pull back from sinking into that amazing kiss, and he had done it only so she wouldn't be upset, and now she was refusing to talk to him anyway, despite his efforts to do the right thing. This sucked… He desperately wished then that he had just kept kissing her. He had wanted to, the whole evening, right from the minute she had walked in with those snowflakes in her hair and that electrifying smile on her face. He walked over, placing his hand on hers at the door, effectively stopping her from leaving._

_"I was trying to do the right thing, you ungrateful little wench. I was the perfect gentleman, and I don't expect you to say thanks, but do you have to be such a brat all the time?" Eric said very heatedly._

_Jackie's eyes widened, she was beyond mad now. She was a brat all the time? Then why did he even hang out with her? Thank him for turning her down? Who did he think he was? Much later in time, every time she thought back on that night, her adoration for him only increased. She could clearly see why he had tried pulling back after the kiss._

_But at that moment, she was far from thinking clearly..._

_As she spun around to face him, her eyes were blazing with everything that she was feeling right then. "I'm a brat? How dare you! Okay fine, thank you for being the perfect gentleman, and I hope your smug attitude keeps you warm at night. You are never ever going to get a chance to kiss me again…", Jackie shot back._

_She wanted to leave the room that very second. Even she was shocked at her words and the shock went up many notches when he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her close to him. She had never seen him looking this furious before, and certainly never at her. She felt breathless again, being this close to him and seeing the angry flecks shining in his eyes. His voice was deceptively soft again. "What is it, Beuhla? Was I supposed to melt at your feet after you let me have a taste of those pouty lips?"_

_Her stomach clenched at his words and the way he was looking at her…..What a time to notice what smouldering eyes he had ….._

_"You have to have all of us panting after you, don't you Jackie? It's not enough that you drove the others crazy for years. Well, Missy, I'm sorry I've managed to resist this long …"_

_She was stunned at how much his words hurt her. She controlled the urge to let the tears brim. She had faced a few jokey accusations from her exe's about her working her way around the circle and stuff like that …But she had never ever thought that Eric would say something similar…_

_The urge to cry was thankfully replaced quickly with the urge to hit him. She curled her fingers into her palm to stop herself from slapping him across the face. There was no way she was hanging around for the rest of the party, she was leaving …but first she was going to crush his pride before walking away…..Did he really think he could resist her if she actually decided she wanted to break his resolve to keep a distance ?_

_He had seen the hurt look on her face at his words and he immediately wished he could take back those thoughtless words. It had been a blind reaction to her angry statement about never letting him kiss her again …_

_He opened his mouth to apologize, but she started speaking before that and then all thoughts of apology or anything else coherent fled from his mind…_

_She looked up at him and her mouth moved into the sulky pout that he had referred to just minutes ago._

_She spoke in a very low voice but he could still hear her clearly._

_"I'm sorry I'm being such a naughty brat, maybe you should spank me, so I never ever do it again." Eric eyes widened, "What did she just say?!" Eric thought._

_She had no idea why the guys seemed to have this weird turn on, it must have been something they saw in an X rated movie sometime, but anyway it worked._

_It turned her on just seeing how much her words affected him. But she ignored her feelings and kept her focus on him._

_He was trying to control his reaction, but she could see the deep red blush spread across his face and neck._

_His breathing was instantly ragged and she placed her hands lightly on his shoulders again, moving even closer to him and looking up at him. Their lips were just inches apart._

_"And it's too bad you've made up your mind to resist me, I wore this dress today just for you, cause I knew you like this color. And…"_

_Her voice dropped to a whisper near his ear._

_"I wore only the tiniest pair of thongs under this dress, because I saw you oogling a girl in one of those disgusting magazines once, who was wearing something like that. Don't you want to see what I'm wearing and tell me if you like it …?"_

_She looked up at his face to see his reaction and knew she had achieved her goal. His eyes were almost glazed before he closed them. She hadn't even touched him and he was breathing as if he had been running. She was close enough to him feel his arousal in other ways too…_

_Her plan had worked, she had thrown his earlier words back at him, and this was where she could leave now without looking back._

_But she found she couldn't move away …_

_She was just as turned on right now, as he was. He hadn't even touched her yet and she already felt warm wet sensations unfurling in her stomach. She wanted him so badly...but she prayed for the strength to walk away right now, she didn't want their first time together to be in anger …_

_The fury that she had felt a short while ago at him suddenly dissipated completely._

_Just a minute ago she had been hell bent on provoking him, wanting him to lose control & react to her teasing …_

_But that had been an angry impulse that she was already regretting. All their friends were downstairs and probably wondering where the two of them were …what would Eric's parents think if they weren't around at midnight …_

_Their first time, if they were indeed meant to even have a first time, should be special, not in retaliation over a stupid argument._

_She tried to sidle away, inching toward the door…_

_Jackie cleared her throat, "You were right" She whispered "Maybe we should go back downstairs, it's almost –" Jackie said but was cut off._

_She was shocked at the expletive he muttered then. She had rarely heard him curse that way before…_

_And then she was pulled a little roughly back in his arms before his mouth came down on hers._

_"This is what you wanted, right? It's too late for you to back out now…"_

_He clearly hadn't appreciated her trying to tease him like that to merely prove a point. _

_Eric then pressed his lips on hers, Eric couldn't help himself anymore._

_She could feel the anger in the pressure of his mouth on hers, before he bit down rather sharply on her lower lip. The minute her lips parted, he thrust his tongue inside her mouth._

_Completely ignoring her rather stunned stillness, he continued the kiss._

_Part of her felt like crying, he had always been so gentle with her. But yet another part of her was automatically starting to react to how sensual his kiss was, even when he was this furious._

_She could feel him against her, pressing her back against the wall and the waves of heat coming off him made her feel light headed._

_And then suddenly it didn't matter that maybe this wasn't the best time and that he was so angry, she had wanted to be with him like this for a long while now, and she wanted to just give in._

_Even when he was this upset, she trusted him not to hurt her in any way…_

_Her mouth yielded under his, letting him know that she didn't want the kiss to end. Her arms found their way around his neck, stroking his hair gently …_

_Eric's head was spinning from all mixed signals from her. First, she had seemed angry when he had tried doing the right thing. Right after that had been the sex kitten act that had made his mind instantly fill with some very lustful thoughts._

_And now she was sweetly, almost innocently, responsive in his arms. _

_Each of her different moods had turned him on …and stopping was the last thing on his mind right now as he let himself sink into the kiss completely._

_His hand moved to her thigh, encouraging her to drape her leg over his hip. She could feel how ready he was, and she responded instantly by grinding her hips against his. He pulled her other leg up as well around his waist and moved them both to the bed._

_She was lying beneath him and he knew he was fast approaching the point of no return. He made himself stop then, giving her the chance to pull back now if that's what she wanted. He wasn't going to be able to stop if they went any further._

_She looked up at him, the only sounds in the room was their ragged breathing and the faint sound of ACDC's T.N.T from downstairs._

_She hesitated for a split second but her heart overcame her mind. Who knew if they would ever end up together? If this short interlude was the only intimate moment that was possible between the two of them, then she wanted to have this. She was sure she felt more for him than just friendship but she knew she would probably never tell him that either._

_She pulled him down onto her and then there was no looking back after that._

_Clothes that were in the way were flung aside. It was obvious to both of them that they had been wanting this for a while now; the relief in being able to do this at last was palpable._

_"Eric." She was urging him on in a throaty voice when he was seconds away from entering her._

_He pushed forward, feeling her welcoming heat, when suddenly she whispered loudly, her voice filled with panic, "Eric, stop!"_

_Ironically, the last coherent thought on his mind a few minutes ago, had been that even if either of his parents had come searching for him right then and pounded on the door, he didn't think he would be able to stop._

_And yet he did right then, his body freezing in response to the panicked request._

_She was panting "Eric, I'm not on the pill...do you have something up here?"_

_The way he had cursed a while ago was nothing compared to his reaction right now. _

_He shifted his weight off her, lying on his stomach right beside her. His chest was heaving as he tried to calm himself, had she been mad at him all along, was this some sort of cruel retribution?_

_His first instinct had been to head for the sanctuary and privacy of his bathroom but he didn't think that his legs could carry him that far right then._

_"Eric." He turned his head to look at her in response to her whisper and his anger drained instantly. She looked every bit as much shaken as he felt right then._

_"Eric, I'm sure it'll be okay, let's just go ahead and do it." Jackie said._

_He closed his eyes for a few seconds, she was putting heaven within his reach again._

_He was trying to find the words to tell her it was okay…_

_When she leaned over and placed her lips softly against his again, and then it didn't matter anymore that they were taking a risk. _

_When they went back downstairs, she made sure that they joined the party separately, she had her excuse ready and nobody pressed Eric for an answer when he came back._

_ None of the others would find out what had actually happened, for another few years. **(End of TopherGirl's work)**_

Eric, much like some points on that night, forced himself to not think about all the details of what he and Jackie did. Eric knew if he kept thinking on, he would do something he would regret. Eric sighed and noticed his breathing kept getting quicker, he knew he was officially dying. His body was shutting down, Eric reached into his pocket slowly and got out his inhaler. Eric held it up to his mouth and took his medicine, his body couldn't hold his breath like he wanted it to. It was far too weak.

Eric started thinking about his Newfoundland at home, he prayed to God it was okay. Little did he know Red and the rest of the road trip gang were already there looking for clues as to where he might be, and were taking care of his dog.

_I know this chapter was very long, but I really hoped you liked it, please leave a review..._


	10. In The Air Tonight

_9:43am, Just outside Las Vegas, Nevada..._

Everybody was asleep in Eric's condo, only Kelso was awake who was taking care of Eric's dog. Kelso took it out for a walk at 8:00am, and fed and watered the dog, with the food bowl right by Eric's desk. Kelso couldn't help but notice that a book labled: 'Utah Geography and Places of Interest', of course being Kelso, he had no clue what geography was. Kelso sat at the desk and opened the book, Kelso noticed post it notes sticking out from between the pages. Kelso just happened to open it to a page that didn't have pictures.

Kelso groaned, "This boook doesn't have pictures? Boo..." Kelso said to himself. Kelso despite not into reading began to read the book, he found out that this page was on a 'Hidden Pool' in Canyonlands, Utah. Kelso thought that it would have to be pretty cool, he could see why Eric would like something like this...Kelso wanted to go! He continued to read about it, and that it would be pretty hard to find.

Kelso began to read on what it looked like, the pool was inside a dome shape with a large hole at the top of it allowing sunlight to pour in, "A dome with a hole at the top? It must look like a giant boob!" Kelso whispered loudly to himself. Kelso knew Fez would love to visit this place! Kelso being Kelso, he didn't connect the dots that that's where Eric was heading. Only Eric never made it there.

Brooke fell asleep and the couch, and the first thing she saw when she woke up was Kelso sitting at a desk...reading a book. Brooke raised herself and walked over to the desk, "Kelso? Why are you reading?" Brooke asked sleepy and rubbbing her eyes. Kelso looked up, "Babe. This place in Utah has a pool shaped like a giant boob!" Kelso told her. Brooke rolled her eyes, "Kelso..." Brooke simply said. Brooke walked around the apartment and turned on the lights, the apartment had a sullen feeling to it. But turning on the lights made it seem to liven up, Brooke turned and noticed that Kelso was still reading the book, Brooke walked over, "Kelso, gimme the book." Brooke stated. Kelso looked up, "Brooke, I'm reading a book and you want me to stop?" Kelso asked her.

Brooke smiled, "Because you said it yourself: reading just gets you into trouble." Brooke replied. Kelso looked up at her, "Damn it, Brooke! Why do you have to ruin my reading time?" Kelso said, as if he were a little child, he then got up and stormed off and opened the door to the basement. Brooke just laughed, she then looked down to the book and picked it up. Brooke saw the post-it note that was on the page of the Hidden Pool, Brooke knew that Eric put it there, she pulled the note off and read it: "Hidden Pool trip on May 21st."

Brooke read it and looked to the calender on the wall, and saw the date was May 13th, Brooke then knew that this might have been where Eric had gone to. Brooke knew that Eric would have gone there to vist the pool itself, and not the fact that it looked like a giant boob. Brooke then looked for a post it note that might say when his last trip was.

Brooke saw one that read: "Red Rock Canyon, May 5th." To Brooke's knowledge, that was the day Eric went to visit the Formans, which meant that he went hiking to Red Rock, and that his next trip would be to the 'Hidden Pool'. So Eric simply went earlier then he planed, and that he was at the Hidden Pool. Brooke had to show this to Red, he fell asleep in the guest bedroom, she sped walked and opened the door to see him sitting on the edge of the bed. Brooke walked over to Red, who was watching the TV, Brooke wondered why Red was looking at the TV like it was God.

Brooke soon heard the TV say Eric's name, the TV was not yet in Brooke point of view. Brooke soon saw the TV, which was featuring the news. Brooke sat on the bed and watched the news. The news anchor had a picture of Eric up on the screen, and were talking about the fact that he was missing for nearly a week. Seeing this shocked Brooke, Red didn't know how the news would know this.

Brooke shook her head, "Red, I think I know where Eric might be." Brooke stated, Red turned his head to her, this was the best news he heard in days, "What?" Red asked.

Brooke held up the book and explained that after the Red Rock Canyon trip, which was the day he left, the Hidden Pool trip would be his next trip. And that after the incident with Jackie, this was where he went.

_Point Place, Wisconsin..._

Kitty was sitting in the living room on the ugly yellow couch, she had been watching the news report on Eric, and the fact that he was missing. Kitty got several calls from close family members to say they were sorry about Eric's dissapearence. Kitty had been crying watching this news report on him and couldn't bring herself to change it, she liked seeing the pictures of Eric on the screen. Kitty heard the slide of the patio doors, she got up to the kitchen and hoped it was Eric...but it was Hyde and Donna. And they didn't look happy, "Mrs. Forman, do you know what happened between Jackie and Eric?" Donna asked with no remorse as to how cold she asked the mother who had a son who was missing.

Kitty sniffled, "Yes. But you two don't have a right to know, okay?" Kitty replied.

Donna scoffed, "Like hell we don't, we know they were friends and then they suddenly stopped? So something happened." Donna stated corssing her arms.

Kitty couldn't believe how cold they were acting towards her, "Get out of my house. Now." Kitty replied sternly. With Eric missing, she didn't need this from these two, who cleary hadn't let go of Eric and Jackie.

Hyde spoke up, "No...we suffered long enough with them as friends, and then we find out that they _were _an item. We overheard Jackie and Brooke talking, and Brooke said that something happened a couple years ago, and we want to know what." Hyde said coldly.

Kitty sighed, "Eric got Jackie pregent a few years ago." Kitty simply said. Donna and Hyde laughed and didn't believe that. Or didn't want to belive it. They then noticed how serious Kitty was, Donna couldn't believe Jackie would stab her in the back by being with Eric, and Hyde thought the same about Eric stabbing him in the back.

Just then, the doorbell rang and Kitty turned and rushed into the living room the answer it. Donna and Hyde followed her in there, Kitty opened the door and saw 2 police officers in front of the door, "Oh, thank God." Kitty said, she then pointed to Hyde and Donna, "These two will not leave my house, Officers. Can you help me out?" Kitty pleaded.

"Are you Mrs. Katherine Forman?" an officer asked, Kitty then hoped they didn't have news that said they found Eric, but that he was dead, "Y-yes." Kitty replied shaking.

"Okay, then. It is actually policy that we only talk to the parents of Eric Forman, are you his mother?" The other officer asked. Kitty nodded.

The officer then looked to Hyde and Donna, "Folks, if she wants you out of the house, you have to leave." The officer stated. Hyde and Donna were livid, first they find out Jackie and Eric had a kid, now they were getting kicked out of the house when they still had questions. Hyde and Donna were not leaving after Kitty tells them Jackie and Eric had a kid. They were not going anywhere.

Of course after a few minutes, Hyde and Donna had to be escorted out by the officers when they refused to leave the house. Kitty felt good that they were gone, but then got nervous when the cops asked if they could come in the house to talk. Kitty feared that Eric might be dead, they sat down on the couch.

"Um, are you aware that your son Eric is missing?" An officer asked. Kitty nodded, "Yes. Did you find him?" Kitty asked, she just wanted to know right now.

"Well, no. But does your son own a Black Ford Bronco?" the officer asked. Kitty's eyes widened, "Yes! Yes, he does." Kitty stated, she knew wherever they found his car, Eric would be in the area.

"We traced his liscense plate number to his home in Nevada, but he wasn't there. So we looked at his records in the police files-" the police officer started, but was cut off.

Kitty waved her hands, "Wait. Why would he have a record in the police files? He is a good boy." Kitty stated.

The officer laughed and pulled out a file from his bag, "Well, in 1976...he and a Steven Hyde, Michael Kelso and..." the officer said looking at the file, Kitty noticed that he appeared to be having a hard time reading something, "Well, a foriegn kid were wrongfully arrested for stealing a car that wasn't theirs. But then we found out that the lady who lent them the car forgot she did and reported it stolen. So they were released, but it was still in our files. And then in 1979, Eric Forman had been arrested for mooning a elderly man on his porch and then attempted to flee the scene, but his car didn't start. So he was arrested." The officer said, Kitty had to smile remembering Red telling her that he came home without his pants again.

The officer cleared his throat, "Well anyway, we found his Bronco in Canyonlands, Utah. So...we talked with the Park Rngers down there and they said the car has been there for several days, they said he might be missing in the canyon. So we have search teams looking for him, but I've been advised to tell you not to get your hopes up. Canyonlands is a big area. Close to 340,000 acres of land, but we will be searching for him until it gets dark, and we'll then start the next morning." the officer stated.

Kitty was grateful she got news that was good, she still was worried sick and depressed that her only son was missing in the first place. All the pssible death scenarios went through her head: What if he fell off a cliff? What if an coyote got him? After the officers said what they needed to, Kitty showed them door. Once they were out the door, Kitty broke down in tears. She couldn't waste time and had to call Red and tell him that is where he was.

_Canyonlands, Utah..._

Eric spent the morning singing 'In The Air Tonight' by Phil Collins, he loved singing the ending where Phil's voice would gradually go up until he was almost yelling. That may have been the only good part of being stuck with no one around, he yell as loud as he wanted to...and _no one _would hear him scream.

Eric was upset when he would get to the drum solo, when he had both arms freely, he would jam with them, but doing with only one arm took the fun out of it. Eric was singing the lyrics, and was nearing the drum solo for almost the 50th time that morning.

_** Well I remember, I remember, don't worry**_  
_**How could I ever forget?**_

_**It's the first time and the last time we ever met**_  
_**But I have know the reason why you keep your silence up**_

_**No you don't fool me**_  
_**'Cause the hurt doesn't show**_

_**The pain still grows**_  
_**It's stranger to you and me**_

Eric had his knife in his hand and used it as a drum stick on the rock, he hit the rock and tried to get the beats of the sdrum in the song playing in his head syncronized with the knife and rock.

Eric sang the lyrics after his drum session on the rock:

**_ I can feel it comin' in the air tonight, oh Lord_**  
**_I've been waitin' for this moment for all my life, oh Lord_**

**_I can feel it comin' in the air tonight, oh Lord_**  
**_I've been waitin' for this moment all my life, oh Lord oh Lord_**

**_I can feel it, comin' in the air tonight, oh Lord_**  
**_I've been waiting for this moment all my life, oh Lord oh Lord_**

**_I can feel it, comin' in the air_**  
**_I can feel it, comin' in the air_**

**_I've been waiting for this moment, all my life, my life_**  
**_I can feel it, comin' in the air_**

**_I can feel it, comin' in the air_**  
**_I've been waitin' for this moment, all my life_**

Eric yelled the lyrics just as Phil Collins would, he wouldn't normally sing as loud as he was. But hell, no one would hear him, and this might even lure...or draw away any help there might be. He neared the end of the song and it ended in his head, as he did. Eric's arm was worn out from all this drum banging on the rock. Eric panted and tried to catch his breath from yelling, he picked up his inhaler from his pocket and pressed down on the cartridge. Even doing something as simple as that, took a lot of energy and strength out of him.

Eric sighed, he looked at his hand, "Ugh!" Eric groaned when he looked at it. It was getting green and it looked disgusting. Eric heard about something like this happens when a part of your body is without circulation. It starts a process called gangrene, it made Eric want to vomit looking at his dead hand. Eric pulled his sweatshirt out of his bag and set it over his hand. Eric shook his head, and picked up his water bottle, it was pratically empty. Eric knew this would be his last drink of water before he died. Eric didn't know why, but he felt tears coming up. Eric bit his lip and thought about what his father would say if he knew he was gonna cry. Eric felt his tears going away, he unscrewed his cap, "Bottoms up." Eric rapsed. Eric did so and tried to get it all as fast as he could in his mouth. He tried sucking it all out, and stopped when he couldn't get anymore water. Eric sighed, he then screwed the cap on, and opened the zipper to his backpack and dropped it in.

Eric sighed, Eric knew he would be dead by tommorow morning if not tonight. Eric wished he could have done so much different, with his family and that he wished he had stayed in Point Place. Eric glanced to his watch and read the time: **2:09pm.**

Eric began to finish his obituary in the canyon wall, hoping the color of his numbers would still be visable by the time someone found him.

_The Good Time Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada..._

Kelso, Red, Jackie and Brooke walked into the casino, checking here one more time before they went to find this Hidden Pool that Eric might be at. Red walked over to an employee in a orange shirt, unbeknownst to Red it was Cesar.

Red walked up, he turned back to Kelso, "You don't move Kelso, got it?" Red warned before he turned to Cesar, "Excuse me." Red greeted.

Cesar turned around, "Yes, how can I help you?" Cesar replied.

"Okay, I'm looking for my son Eric, and he works here. So I was wondering if he had been in recently." Red asked.

Cesar smiled, "You must be Red. I haven't seen Eric in almost a week, sir." Cesar replied, he recalled past conversations with Eric that he should, if he ever met his father, he should be addressed as sir.

Red was confused, "You know Eric?" Red asked.

Cesar laughed, "Yes, I do. I'm his boss and he has told me a lot about you." Cesar responded.

Red laughed, "Good things I hope?" Red asked hopefully.

Kelso laughed, "Ha!" Kelso stated, Red looked back at him, giving him a death glare, he turned back to Cesar, "Dumbass." Red muttered.

"That must be Kelso..." Cesar stated, recalling Eric telling him how much Kelso was a dumbass.

Red laughed, "Yes. But we are checking here before we go to Utah to look for him, the dumbass actaully found something that told us where he might be. So has Eric been here recently?" Red asked.

"No, not for at least a week. But checking out Utah is good place to look, he always talked about this...pond, or pool that was supposed to be there." Cesar stated.

Red nodded, "That's exactly what we are looking for, he has to be there." Red started, "Do you have a phone I could use to call my wife? I want to check and see if she heard anything." Red asked.

Ceasr pointed to the front desk where a phone was, "Right over there, sir. Let me know if you find him" Cesar replied, he then walked off.

Red went to the phone, and called his wife, he waited as it rang, "Red?" Kitty said without saying hello.

"Yeah?" Red replied, Kitty wasted no time in telling him what had happened, and where Eric's car was. Red hung up, knowing he shouldn't be wasting time.

"Red Forman?" a voice asked.

Red turned, to see his war buddy, Charlie Schimdt. "Charlie?" Red replied.

Charlie walked up, "I never expected to see you again." Charlie replied, he walked up and gave his old friend a hug.

"What are you doing here in Vegas?" Red asked him.

Charlie shrugged, "Enjoying retirement finally." he replied.

Red continued to talk with his old friend, they talked about the time Red saved Charlie's life in the war, and remembered he had to look for Eric, "Charlie...I am not using this as an excuse, but my son is missing, and I got to find him. It was nice talking to you, okay?" Red stated.

"Oh, man. I saw Eric on the news, I'm sorry to hear about that. It has been almost a week, huh? Do you know know where he is?" he asked.

"Somewhere in Canyonlands, Utah. Can you believe that? My son is such a dumbass sometimes." Red replied.

Charlie grinned, "Look, Red. You saved my life in the war, and to be honest: you are not gonna find him...on your feet that is. I still do a bit of flying myself, and my son works in Utah for the Highway Patrol. I'm pretty sure they have a helicopter." Charlie stated.

Red hadn't even thought about that, they would definately cover more ground by helicopter, "Are we allowed to use it?" Red asked.

Charlie laughed, "Allowed to use it? You have certainly softened over the years, Red." Charlie replied with a laugh.

_I know that this wasn't my best chapter, but it was mostly a filler chapter, I still hoped you liked it...Please leave a review_


	11. No One Else But You

_No comments...just read and enjoy._

_Outside Eric's house in Las Vegas, Nevada...3:00pm._

Jackie was livid, Red was telling her to stay at Eric's so Charlie could take Kelso and Red in the helicopter, to search for Eric.

"How come I have to stay? And Michael gets to go?!" Jackie yelled, she was extatic when she first heard about the helicopter trip. But was pissed when Red said Jackie should stay.

Red sighed, "Jackie, he is only going cause he's a cop, he'll make sure we don't get in trouble. And if Eric comes back to his house, you're gonna be the first one to see him. Brooke will keep you company, okay?" Red assured, Jackie was still breathing heavily from the anger.

Charlie stepped up, "Jackie, if I may, my son told me the helicopter has a phone, if we find him, you will be the first one we call, okay?" Charlie assured. Jackie was still mad, "Fine." Jackie muttered.

"Jackie, we'll have fun, okay? And Sara seems to like you." Brooke said pointing to the dog in the window, who was barking. Jackie tried to hold back a smile, Brooke didn't know that Jackie and Eric picked out the dog, mostly for the baby, so it had a companion to grow up with. Jackie sighed and turned to go back in the house.

Kelso was dumbfounded, "The dog is a girl?" Kelso asked. Everyone turned to Kelso and looked at him like the idiot he was.

"I'm not looking under the dog to see it's gender, every time I meet one." Kelso shot back.

Red pitied the moron, then Red, Charlie and the moron all got into the car to head to Utah, which was one state over. They didn't know they had to hurry...

_Canyonlands, Utah...3:10pm._

Eric was now breathing slowly, scary slow. Eric was dying and didn't think he would even make it past sundown, Eric couldn't help but think of memories of his life. Eric laughed softly, he had a great life and he threw it away for nothing. Eric leaned on the rock as if it were a desk, as if he were in detention and he was simply trying to pass time. Eric was bored and got his camera out, he knew it was close to dead...he and the camera had that in common. Eric picked it up from out of his backpack, he placed it on the rock and turned it on.

Eric looked to the battery bar, it was almost dead, it one 1 and half bars. Eric was confused, it didn't seem like him to not have 2 batteries with him. Eric tried to think back to his inventory check, almost a week ago, he tried to remember what he had with him. Eric closed his eyes and tried to recall it, he had his wallet, TWO bottles of water, not one...TWO. But Eric being twitchy dropped it. He had his wallet, his sweatshirt, Eric then remembered having two batteries and not one. Eric remembered placing it on the rock. Eric opened his eyes and looked at rock, he looked to the cracks between the rock and the canyon wall to see if the battery perhaps fell between there, but he didn't see it. Eric picked up his backpack and search every corner of it to see if he perhaps placed it there. But nothing.

Eric then had the idea it fell off the rock and maybe he didn't notice. Eric looked down to the sand covered floor, even though it was about 3:30 in the afternoon, it was dark in this slot canyon. Eric saw the bottom of his PF Flyers imprinted on the sand, there had to a hundred patterns of them. Eric didn't know why but he was fascinated with the imprints of his shoes on the floor. Eric then saw that they appeared to be twisting in different angles and shapes, Eric was now even more fascinated with what he was seeing. Eric then knew this was bad and his mind and eyes were playing tricks on him, his body was even more nearing death. Eric shook his head forgot why he was even looking down here in the first place. Battery. Eric squinted his eyes and tried to see it...then he saw it, under the darkest point in the shadow of the rock and covered in sand. Eric then tried to reach it, Eric found his body twisting the farther he reached to get it. Eric then laughed as he thought he might look like the woman in the Exorcist crawling down the stairs. Eric then got scared, now he was thinking about that freaky ass movie. Eric frantically tried to grab and finally he hit it with his fingertips and rolled it towards him, "Got it!" Eric yelled as he had it firmly in his hands.

Eric wasted no time in replacing it with the dead one, he heard the click indicating it was in the battery holder. Eric prayed the battery still worked, he flipped the small switch of the camera. And heard the greeting tone of it turning on, the LCD screen was pulled out, and Eric could see how he really looked. Eric really looked like a zombie, his skin was pale, his eye's had dark rings around them, the way his eyes looked made him look like he was dying any minute and he was, or so he thought.

Eric hit the record button, "Hey...sorry about the update time." Eric said with laugh.

"Well, in case your wondering I'm still stuck by this rock. I...think this will be the last day I'm alive, I think it would be a miracle if I lived till tommorow. But anyway...I really hate this fucking rock. It may not be a person but, I can feel it taunting me now. It's laughing at me...such a smug fucking attitude; this rock." Eric told his audience.

Eric spent the next few hours insulting the rock on camera, "Ya know, I've been thinking...not that I have much else to do. This rock...didn't cause any of this, I did. I chose all of this, I had so many chances to do things different, and if I had...God may have sent some strong wind and sent this rock a few yards some other way." Eric said, he just noticed how raspy his voice was, Eric held his hand up to his mouth and tried to cough to clear his throat. Eric then felt something in his mouth, a liquid of some sort. Eric spit it out on the canyon wall, he then noticed it was blood. Eric sighed, "Well, this isn't good now is it?" Eric said.

Eric then focused at the camera again, "Well, it may not sound cool to you...but this is cool to me. The fact that this rock, pry formed, like a billion years ago. Like maybe it was part of a metorite at some point. Maybe it's even older then that, a little history lesson here from my days as a teacher. The earth at one point was just in disaray, molten rocks flowing in lava rivers or something. Then, according to the 'Big Bang Thoery'," Eric said using air qoutes.

"This other planet they call 'Theia', which is about the size of Mars, this giant fucking planet, not bigger then the earth itself, but still big. Came rocketing towards Earth, and crashed into it. And upon the impact, everything just went BOOM!" Eric said to the camera.

"And all the debris left over from the 'Bang', got caught in the Earths orbit, and over the next million years, all the left over rock and shit kept colliding in Earths orbit. And then the moon formed, out of all of it. And some other debris may have fallen to Earth...and what I'm getting at is that, maybe _this _rock is from that Theia planet. And that God made this rock come _right _here. Right here, I might be touching something that made Earth's only natural satellite, the Moon." Eric finished, the he laughed silently to himself.

"I gotta say...that might be an okay way to die, having a 4.5 billion year old rock, crush my arm and then have me being without food or water for a whole week, killing me is pretty cool." Eric stated, with a small smile.

Eric sighed and shut the camera off, he wanted to have this all over so quickly. But he had nothing to end his life right here, he had to wait which made him pissed off. Eric looked to his knife, he had an idea and picked it up, he slid the sharp knife out of the holder. Eric simply stared at the blade and tried to figure out if it was sharp enough to do it. Eric began to breathe heavily and held the knife up to his throat, he knew cutting his throat open to end this was a coward move, but that's what he was: a coward. Eric played back some memories as he thought he could actually go through with this. Eric thought back to all the memories with Kelso, Hyde, Fez, his mother and father, Donna. He was ready to do it, but his mind had to make memories of Jackie enter his mind.

"Damn it." Eric said softly as he put the knife down.

Eric would just have to wait.

Another hour passed, Eric simply stared off into the sky, Eric swore he saw a Milenium Falcon pass over, but it was nothing but his body reacting to his death that would shortly come. Eric's heart would beat fast one second then slower the next, making him think he would die right there. But then it would start up again, going irregularly fast. Eric turned on his camera after another hour passed, "Time is going _really _slowly, I swear to God. My heart is beating really fast, I swear it feels like it's beating like 10 times as fast as it should be." Eric said weakly into his camera, his messages become more and more desperate as he could feel himself dying.

Eric cleared his throat, "I think I'm seeing stuff too, and...none of it makes any sense. I just want this all to be over...I need something to drink." Eric said desperately.

"I swear, this is like 'The Shining', I'm like Jack Torrence. We're both trapped and isolated and can't leave, these canyon walls are like the hedge maze, and I'm seeing stuff that isn't real. And instead of an axe...I have this small pocket knife." Eric said with a laugh at the end.

Eric couldn't even lick his lips, he had no saliva in his mouth cause it was too dry, "It's still cool that ever since I was born, I was meant to come right here..._right _here. And I didn't even know that this is where I'm gonna die, and even if there was anything I could do." Eric said, Eric shut the camera off, his head then collapsed on the rock. Eric kept waking up over time, he swore he kept hearing whispers and indistinct voices. Eric groaned and popped his head up, "Go away!" Eric yelled.

Eric soon stopped hearing the whispers and voices, he regretted talking about 'The Shining' before, now he was hearing stuff. Eric rested his head on the rock again, it wasn't long before the voices returned, Eric tried to ignore them, but it seemed the more he tried that, the more loud the voices would get. Eric yelled and raised his head again. Eric knew his camera had a light on it, but it hadn't worked for a while, and when it did he would get a quick flicker of light. And then it would go off and not come back on, Eric picked his camera and with one hand held it towards the back where he kept hearing voices. Eric flicked the record button on, "I'm hearing shit over here, so I'm doing this to figure out if I'm going insane or not." Eric said as he squinted his eyes over in the direction of the voices but it was nothing but black. Eric located the button for the light and got his eyes focused on the direction of whatever it was, once he found the light he flicked it on and in the split second it was on the light showed him his father, and he didn't look too happy, "Dumbass!" Red's voice echoed in the canyon, and just like other times, the light went out, making the image of his father dissapear.

As soon he saw it, he inhaled a gasp and shot himslef backwards in shock, Eric heard nothing but the scared breathing and panting of himslef. Eric calmed himself before he reilized his camera was still recording, he quickly played back the footage to see if what he saw was real, he hit the play button. He saw nothing but the light going off on the scrren but of course his father wasn't there. Eric shook his head, "I guess I am losing it..." Eric said with a mocking laugh.

_5:00pm, Moab, Utah..._

Kelso stepped out of the car, he was cooped up in the back listening to Red and Charlie's boring war stories. Red and Charlie got out of the car, they were in a large parking lot of the Utah Highway patrol building. They all went into the to building, and Charlie's son was waiting for them in the room. Red called ahead and told him the situation in a nutshell, they didn't have alot of time.

With a "Follow me." Charlie's son lead to the elevator and then were on their way to the roof. Kelso was too exited about the fact that he was going on a helicopter. Red was only exited about the possibilty of him finding his son, while Charlie was simply helping his friend, Charlie met Eric a couple times and would say he was a good kid. The elevator doors opened and they were led down a hallway, at the end was a door that led to the helipad. Charlie opened the door and Kelso was now even more exited when he saw the helicopter. It was bigger then most had a brown body work paintjob, with a lighter brown series of stripes along it. It had the words: 'Utah Highway Patrol' written on it.

Charlie's son filled in his father and Red on how this helicopter worked, "Now, it is filled to the brim with the fuel, and I put in some barrels that have enough fuel to last you 2 days in the back of the helicopter."

Red laughed, "Charlie, I hope you can figure out how to fly this thing, it looks a little different then the ones we flew." Red stated, he saw Kelso run up to helicopter like it was the tree on Christmas morning. Kelso hopped in the back seat of the helicopter. Charlie laughed, "Red, when they issued me my Thompson it didn't take me long to figure out how it worked. We will be fine, me and Ron," Charlie said pointing to his son, "Take this out every once in a while, and I flew it better then I did in the war." Charlie replied.

Red went around the front and got in the passenger side, Charlie got in and hit the needed buttons to prepare for take off. Kelso heard the choppers 'wings' starting up.

"Buckle up, dumbass." Charlie said to Kelso , Red laughed at his joke and slapped his friend's shoulder. Kelso tried to shout something back, but the whirring of the helicopter made it inaudible.

Pretty soon the helicopter was up and heading east towards Canyonlands.

_Las Vegas, Nevada...6:12pm_

Jackie sighed, she was taking a bath to try to ease her anger about not going on the helicopter trip. Jackie wanted to see Eric, because it was pretty obvious that Eric was there in Canyonlands. Jackie then thought about what Red told her, that the car has been there for about 6 days. Jackie knew something about that was strange, the car had been under watch so she knew Eric hadn't been sleeping in there. Jackie began to panic, what if Eric was hurt? What if something happened?

What if he was dead? Jackie didn't what she would do if Eric died, first the baby then Eric? Jackie would for sure enter depression, she knew no matter who she would meet afterwards wouldn't be the same as with Eric. Jackie didn't know how she got this far without him, she should have told Eric the second he got back that she still loved him. Of course saying that _now_ is easy to say, she promised herself right then to tell Eric how she felt about him still. Jackie did this alot where she would tell herself she wanted to be with him if she knew he was coming back into town. But now Jackie felt different and for sure she would tell him the next time she saw him, no matter what happened to him.

Jackie laughed, who woulda thunk that she had been in love with Eric all these years? If someone told her that 5 years ago she would have laughed. Jackie would never expect she loved Eric, let alone be friends with him. Jackie had been in love with him the night they hooked up, and maybe even before that.

Jackie then thought to that night, Jackie laughed at the memory of her intention of turning him on then leaving the room. Only Jackie didn't think of the possibilty of her getting turned on also, and she was so turned that night she told him not to wear protection. Jackie thought about that night an awful lot, she also thought about the second time they did it, after she got pregnent. Jackie's mind dubbed the memory: The 2nd First Time. They just got back from a check up, and it was snowing out. Jackie suggested Eric stay the night. Jackie didn't have the intention of having sex with him, but as time flew by, nor Eric and Jackie could help themselves.

_Jackie and Eric had been talking ever since they got back, about how all their friends would react to their forbidden love and prenency._

_Jackie laughed, "I don't care what they think, Eric. I really don't, I care about you, me and this baby." Jackie stated, she had legs tucked under her and was sitting on the couch, while Eric sat on the other end._

_"I know and I don't either, Jackie. Let's not talk about them, they're a buzzkill. It's Saturday, which means SNL is on." Eric replied happily._

_Jackie smiled, "Let's watch it in my room, I'm kinda tired." Jackie told him._

_Eric smiled, "Okay." Eric stood up, he offered his hand to Jackie and helped her up. _

_Jackie laughed, "Eric, I like that you have manners, but I will only need help when my stomach pops out, and when we're both miserable." Jackie joked, Eric laughed as well, "Well, even if you were not carrying our child, I would still have my manners." Eric replied._

_Jackie smiled as they made their way to her bedroom, Jackie took her sweatshirt off, and tossed it by the hamper. She then stripped down to her panties, and Eric to his boxers. Eric looked up to see how sexy she looked in just her panties and a see though white tank top. They both climbed into the bed and Jackie curled up next to him, Eric was aware that Jackie only had her panties on, her legs were across his and he felt how smooth they were. _

_Jackie turned the TV on and then turned off the light, they remained in each others arms for a while. Jackie smiled as she remebered the fact that Eric said 'our kid', and not just hers. That made her smile, it let her know that he was in this with her. _

_A commercial came on and Jackie felt guitly about something so she muted it, "Eric, I have to tell you something." Jackie stated as she raised herself to a seated position, "What?" Eric asked._

_Jackie sighed, "Um, you remeber the night you came over to try and talk with me? And I told you the news?" Jackie asked._

_Eric smiled, "Yeah." Eric replied._

_"Well, up until that night...I planned to not tell you the baby was yours." Jackie said, she knew Eric wouldn't like that at all._

_And he didn't. Eric's face went to happy to a glare at Jackie, "What?" Eric asked heatedly, sitting up more straight in the bed._

_Jackie sighed, "Look, Eric. I know it was a stupid thing to do, but after you came by and you said those sweet things I HAD to tell you then." Jackie explained._

_Eric looked towards the windows in frustration, "So basically, had I not come over that night, I would never know that our kid was actaully mine? Jackie, do you know how selfish that is to keep that from me?" Eric shot back._

_Jackie was taken back, "Look Eric, this was a month ago, and I think as time went on, I would have told you about it. Those were just my plans at that moment in time." Jackie stated._

_Eric seemed to understand that, and he shouldn't be making a big deal out of this. Jackie told him about it and that was better then not telling him at all, "Look...I'm sorry about my freak out, I just don't like the idea of me going through life not knowing I have a kid. I-" Eric apologized, Jackie cut him off by kissing him. _

_Jackie pulled away, "Eric, you seem to handle everything I expect you to not handle well, very well. I thought when I told you about me being pregnent, you would tell me to get your car that night and get it taken care of. And I know I would have told you at some point. I only wanted to wait until it would be too late to get it 'taken care of'. Cause I didn't know how you would react to it." Jackie replied, Eric lowered himself back into the bed. _

_"Jackie, don't talk about the...'getting it taken care of' thing." Eric said, he didn't need to say why, it was self explanitory._

**_(This scene contains smut, you were warned...)_**

_Jackie nodded and kissed him again, Jackie only expected to give him a small kiss, but she couldn't pull herself away from him. Jackie continued to kiss him, and Eric kissed her back, Eric parted her mouth with his tongue and Jackie more then accepted it. Jackie moaned, as she loved kissing Eric. It was never the same thing, it always felt better then the previous one. Jackie wrapped one arm around his neck and pulled him by his shirt towards her. _

_Eric placed his hand on her smooth thigh and let his hand feel how soft it was, Jackie then quickly pulled his shirt over his head. Jackie lowered him to the bed, Jackie then shifted and got on top of him, she then kissed him again, letting her hair fall over him. Eric's placed his hands on her hips, Jackie noticed how his hands would go to her sides then back to her hips. Jackie knew it was because he had manners, but Jackie wanted him that night, very badly. When Jackie felt his hands go up to her side, Jackie spoke up, "Go ahead, Eric." Jackie whispered in his ear._

_Eric did as he was told and lifted her tank top over her head, Eric continued to kiss her. Jackie slanted her head and continued to kiss him more deeply, sucking his tongue and Eric almost lost it. Eric finally let his hands cover her breasts, Eric moaned and kissed her deeply. Jackie then felt Eric tip her over so he could get on top of her. Jackie kissed and wrapped her arms around his neck, she wrapped her thigh that he was touching around him, Jackie moaned and pressed herself against him. Jackie began to pull his boxers down._

_Eric pulled away, he knew Jackie wanted to do this right, and he did also, and that she would wait for them to make love again until it felt right. "I suppose we should stop, huh?" Eric said, still giving her small kisses. Jackie shook her head and looked up at him, "Eric, this feels right and I want you right now...really bad." Jackie replied. _

_Eric was taken back, "Jackie, but I don't think it's safe with-" Eric started, but Jackie knew where he was going, "Eric, I asked the doctor, he said it's fine until our next checkup." Jackie stated._

_Eric still was nervous, "Are you sure, Jackie?" Eric asked her again. _

_"Eric, I am and I love you." Jackie said, hoping it wasn't too soon to say it, even though she felt like this well before they got together. _

_Eric smiled, "I love you too, Jackie." Eric replied, he then kissed her again. Jackie meant what she said to him, she kissed him with passion, and wrapped her legs even tighter around him. Eric hands pushed up on her breasts again. Eric's hands could feel how fast Jackie's heart was racing, he knew he shouldn't keep her waiting much longer. Eric lowered his hand between her legs, Jackie's body tensed up against him, "Oh, God..." Jackie moaned. Eric pressed his hand up against her again. Jackie's kisses were now more wanting for him, Jackie and Eric's bodies were under the blankets when Jackie quickly pulled his boxers off him. _

_Eric's hand pressed up between her legs one last time, before he used both hands to lower her panties down her hot legs. Jackie pulled her body as close to him as she could get, "Do it now, Eric." Jackie ordered, giving him another kiss._

_Eric wasted no time and entered her, Jackie bit her lip and gripped the sheets and she was already close enough as it was. Eric continued to kiss her and he slowly went forward creating a rhythm as he was way too close to losing it himself. Eric could feel her tensing up again, Jackie moaned loudly and she pulled him down for more of her wanting kisses. Jackie looked in his eyes and saw him looking back, "I love you." Jackie said again, "I love you, too." Eric replied._

_Jackie called out his name as they both came with each other. They laid in the bed with Eric breathing heavily, Jackie was panting and hugging Eric, they both just had the best sex they ever had. They both knew that there was plenty more where that came from. _

Jackie then woke up under the water in the bathtub. Jackie had fallen asleep in the bathtub and slipped under the water, thinking about that memory. Jackie came up and gasped for air, but did so quietly. Jackie ran her hands over her wet hair and pushed it behind her head, "Oh, God." Jackie muttered, trying to colect herself from her dream about Eric.

"Jackie, are you okay? What happened?" Brooke asked behind the other side of the door.

Jackie cleared her throat, "I'm fine." Jackie replied. Jackie laid back in the tub, Jackie knew these memories of Eric were too surreal for her to take at the moment. Jackie sat back up, she missed being with Eric in that way, whenever she was with anyone after the break up with Eric, she would pretend she was with Eric. Jackie couldn't move on from him, she had tried a dozen times and couldn't stop thinking about him. Jackie missed Eric in every way there was, Jackie sighed and had to hope Eric would be found by Red, and that she would hear something about him tonight or tommorow.

_I hoped you liked the chapter, the smut scene was my first and I hoped you liked it. Please leave a review! =)_


	12. The Premonition

Eric, at this point, was comfortable with his arriving death, he packed up everything and was now sleeping on the rock...just waiting.

**_2:56AM..._**

Eric laid on the rock, an ant crawls across his face, across his chapped lips and then his cheek. Nothing from Eric. No muscles twitched. He might be dead, he was waiting for nothing else. He spent these past 7 days reflecting on his life, the good times, the bad. He knew why was here, he wanted to be left alone and he got it, he had come to terms with everything he did in his life has led him to this ordeal, from the moment he was born, every little thing, every breath, made him destined to die alone in this dark canyon. No sun or light. No life. No hope. He was waiting for an absolution that never came, he knew what he did, but he could never forgive himself. Eric had given up on hope long ago, well before this ever happened, he just didn't know it and wanted to do it all different...but he couldn't.

Now there were about 4 ants on his face, crawling, still no movement from Eric. No attempts to brush the ants away. Nothing.

Then it becomes bright, the blue rays of the moon comes to greet Eric. The light from the moon, went up his legs, but still no movement from him. The ants on his face all went in separate directions off his face, almost pushed off by an unseen force. The moon's light engulfed his body and he heard something. He didn't know what is was, but it woke him up. After an age, one eye opens slowly. Something makes his eyes them self, look up towards what it is.

Eric slowly rose himself, he heard laughing, but not human. Eric doesn't have the urge to yell for help to the source of the laughter, something tells him it isn't someone who was there right at that moment in time, like a fellow canyoneer. He still heard the laughter, Eric was awake but not fully in the standing position. He looked behind and still heard the laughter, but nothing but the moon's blue light, that was beautiful, but nothing to the source of the laughter. Eric didn't even see the moon above him, but there was still a blue light around him that allowed him to see clearly.

He stood up slowly, he peered over the rock, he looked ahead of him to see a young girl sitting on the couch in front of him. The couch looked so damn familiar to him, it was the ugly yellow couch from his parents living room in Point Place, but right now, the couch could not have looked more beautiful.

The girl just sat there, looking at Eric. She had to be about 3 years of age. She was wearing some blue overalls, and a purple striped shirt under it. She had some white and pink sneakers, her hair was let down, it was a wonderful brunette color. Eric couldn't process the scene in front of him, he knew it wasn't a real girl in front of him. There wouldn't be a yellow couch in the middle of nowhere in this canyon with a girl sitting on it.

_"Is it Betsy?" _Eric thought to himself. It took Eric about 12 seconds to get it, it was his daughter. He was looking at his unborn daughter, right in front of him. It seemed the second he figured it out, the girl smiled at him. Tears stung Eric's eyes, he let them fall. Eric wasn't bawling his eyes out, they simply rolled down his cheeks while he looked at his unborn daughter. The girl stood up and walked about 10 feet to where Eric was, the girl propped herself on the platform above the rock, Eric was frozen. The small girl continued to smile at him, she placed her hand in his palm, Eric squeezed her hand, Eric felt her soft skin as if it was real, "...hi." Eric choked out.

The girl's face fell slowly as she didn't reply, she continued to stare at him, her eyes went to the rock and his pinned arm.

Her eyes then went back to him.

Eric noticed she had two colored eyes, blue and green.

Eric looked to where her eyes were before, the girl was staring at the rock, cause this was the only reason he couldn't escape right now.

She took her hand out of Eric's and slid off the platform by the rock, "Wait, please." Eric rasped out. She walked on almost ignoring him.

She walked back to the direction of the yellow couch, Eric saw an small arm come out from beyond the wall, the hand of the arm opened up, Eric knew it wasn't his as it was too small to be his, the girl walked over and placed her hand in the other hand. Eric desperately wanted to see who's arm it was, the girl looked back to him once. And giving him expectant look.

Before she walked off hand in hand with the strange arm.

Eric knew the reason he couldn't see them was due to the rock, and his arm trapped by the rock. Eric had a epiphany. He couldn't cut through the radius and his ulna bones in his arm because the knife couldn't. He knew a way he could, since there was so much torque, he could apply enough force to break both bones himself. Eric knew the knife was sharp enough now, from all the chipping away, to cut the skin and the muscles in Eric's forearm.

He had more then enough motivation to cut it off, now he actually had to do it, cut off his own arm with a pocket knife. Of course him thinking of doing it would be different from actually doing it...cutting off his own arm in the dark with limited light at 3:00 in the morning...

_The next chapter will obviously be intensely graphic...leave a review!_


	13. Isolation Ends

**WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IS VERY GRAPHIC IN DETAIL, READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!**

_Previously..._

_"It took Eric about 12 seconds to get it, it was his daughter. He was looking at his unborn daughter, right in front of him."_

_The Night Before Eric's Premonition, 9:47pm..._

Jackie and Brooke sat on the couch in Eric's condo while watching 'The Thing', of course Jackie was kinda zoned out and Brooke was asleep. Jackie got a call from Kelso and he said they hadn't found him. But while they're in the air, search teams were looking for him on foot at night. Jackie hated how the last time Eric and her saw each other was such a heated conversation, Jackie had a feeling he was dead. If she looked at the facts, anyone would think so, his car has been parked in the canyons for 6 six days now, no one had seen him in that time, and he was hiking which was dangerous in itself. Jackie wanted to pray that night that he would be found, but something kept stopping her, like she would jinx it. But she ended up praying that night before she went to sleep that he would turn up okay. Jackie had already convinced herself that he was dead however, she cried and smoked an entire pack of cigarettes in one night.

_Present Day in Canyonlands, Utah..._

**_3:09AM..._**

Eric was now breathing heavily from what he just saw, Eric began looking around him to find something place his feet on, to get leverage to break his arm. But there was nothing. He decided to get his body as far up as possible. "Okay." Eric said getting ready to go. Eric took his left hand and gripped the other end of the chockstone, he jumped up to get leverage. He pulled as hard as he could, creating upwards force. "Ugh." Eric grunted as the intense pain grew larger. He managed to get his feet against the canyon wall, to push upwards even more.

He could hear a creaking, like as if you were getting off of your bed slowly, and hearing the bed springs squeak. Either his radius or his ulna bone were breaking,"Come on." Eric gritted through his teeth. He knew his radius was the one on the top, and the ulna was on the bottom. He could feel it breaking, "Fuck." Eric whispered loudly. His body was hunched over the rock as far as it could, he knew just a few seconds more in this position would break it. Eric was doing so in a silent, furious intensity, his teeth are clamped shut, no sound.

**POW.**

Like a gunshot in the canyon, the bone breaks. The sound echos. His body fell downwards, "Ow!", Eric yelled, even moving slightly would make his broken arm hurt hell. He tilted his head to see the bone, his ulna, poking out of his skin, the second he saw saw that, he raised his head quickly, "Oh, my God." Eric said as the pain settled.

Eric knew this process was far from over, he sighed and wasted no time on breaking his radius. He put his left hand on the spot where his forearm met his elbow and began to push down hard, now making a downward force, "Ugh!" Eric grunted, as he contuned to push down. He again heard the creaking sound, "Come on." Eric gritted angrily. He couldn't get any more force going downwards from standing up. He forced himself to go backwards, shooting his head behind him, letting his legs go beneath him.

**BANG.**

A second gun shot echoes around the canyon. He's sweating heavily and yet has a euphoria in his eyes. He checks the underneath of his arm. Yep, another broken bone. "Ah!" Eric shouted loudly. He without looking up, held his left hand and applied pressure to it, "Oh. Oh, shit. Oh, fuck." Eric stated as he held his forearm.

Eric smiled smugly, with pain albeit, he just broke both the bones in his right arm, Eric let out a scream and a laugh, "AH, HA, HA, HA! AHHHHHH!" Eric yelled, the way he laughed was very smug, his own little 'Fuck You!' to his broken arm.

Eric looked at his arm, and to think about how to do this. He had to stop blood circulation, he looked around for something, he looked to his belt. Instantly, he unhooked his belt and slid it out the hoops of his shorts. He moved his arm away from the canyon wall to give him space to put the belt between his arm and the wall. He put the opposite end of the belt through the belt hook, and tightened it on his forearm, "Ohhhh, yeah. Yeah, that fucking hurts." Eric said to himself.

He tried to get it as tight as possible, anything would help at this point. He made sure it was tight enough, he had decided to give it some time to stop some of the circulation of blood. In the meantime he pulled the string that was attached to the knife out of his pocket, he made sure the string was holding this knife securley so it wouldn't drop. This small knife was the only thing that kept him hoping he would see his daughter, and Jackie, and all his friends.

He looked to his arm, he could literally see it get more purple as the seconds went by. The light was very dark and he could barely see anything, he looked at his camera, he knew it had a 'flashlight feature' he could turn on. Eric prayed that it would work, it had been broken for a couple months and he just stopped trying to get it on after a few weeks. Eric sighed, he slid the camera to the point closest to where the rock met the wall and rested it there. Eric wiggled it a little to see if it was stable enough so it wouldn't fall. He then pulled the small light out of the camera, he felt around for the small switch to turn it on, he felt it and flicked it towards him and hoped it would come on.

Eric groaned as he held his free arm over his eyes to shield it from the light that came on, his eyes had to adjust to the light. Eric pointed it down towards his arm and smiled as it shined brightly.

He took his knife and used his thumb to push the sharp knife of out of the holder, when it was about halfway out, he pressed it down on the rock to get it the rest of the way out. He exhaled and poked his arm once, he then began to cut and saw an opening in his skin.

He gasped lightly at the pain. He felt sweat pouring out of him, "Okay, come on. Eric, come on." he told himself as he cut a hole in his skin. Eric was pushing the knife deeper on his skin, a red gash formed in the spot in the middle of his forearm. Immediately; blood came out quickly, and then gradually went more slowly. It looked a lot darker then what normal blood would look like, since it was bound to be tainted because of the lack of circulation.

Sawing and cutting downwards, he tried to be very careful not to cut through any noodle like veins, he put the blood soaked and dripping knife in his mouth, and in between his teeth to hold it in place. Eric then pokes his left forefinger and thumb inside his right arm. Drops of sweat falling on the knife blade. He pulls muscle up, nearer the surface, allowing his knife to slice and pare away at a fragment of muscle bit by bit. Eric would poke the knife in the muscles of his forearm, and pull it out despite the immense pain he was enduring. He pulled a small ripped portion of muscle out, "Ah..." Eric gasped lightly as he pulled the muscle out, and threw it to his left, like it was nothing.

"Whew..." Eric stated, he couldn't believe he was doing this, he was cutting off his own arm.

Eric continued to out his hand in his forearm to take out the muscles, he would twist his hand inside to try and loosen it, and tear it out, "Don't pass out..." Eric ordered himself.

Eric continued to dig the knife in his forearm, and pull out the muscles, then toss them aside. It takes a dozen actions, each time the knife goes back to his teeth so his free hand can arrange the meat.

Blood now drips from his mouth and the knife, the blood also was around his mouth from the blade.

Blood flows, though surprisingly very little, Eric put the knife back in his mouth, so he could tighten the belt even more. Silence, with the expection of his Darth Vader like breathing, due to the knife in his mouth.

Eric can't cut the tendon, no matter how hard he slices. But nothing will stop his addiction to surgery now. He fold in and swaps the blades for the scissors. He uses them to bite and cut into an edge of the yellowy tendon. "Ah! Shit!" Eric yelled, as he did his best to cut through and saw at the tendon. Then squeezing and twisting, he tears away a fragment.

Eric put the knife in his mouth, he put his hand in his arm and gripped the tendon, he didn't care how hard it hurt and pulled it out.

Grip. Squeeze. Twist. Tear.

Finally, he tears the last fibre of tendon.

Stares at his handiwork.

With a sniff of satisfaction, returns to his knife blade. Finally, all that remains inside is a pale white strand. Like a swollen length of angel-hair pasta. The nerve. He touches it gently with the blade of his knife.

Eric screamed, "AAAAGGGGHHHH!", Eric wished he could take that action back, even pocking it made the length of his arm feel as if it was on fire. After so long in silence, the scream is shocking, long and utterly terrifying. He's stunned. Stock-still with fear. He is leaned against the canyon wall, he stares at the nerve. The nerve looks back. It's like a Mexican stand-off. It could go on all day.

Eric attempted to poke it again, his plan was to pull it towards him and just yank it out, he quickly put the knife in his mouth, and put his index finger under the nerve and immediately began to pull upwards.

"AGGGGHHHH GOD!" Eric screamed, as he let go of the nerve, it seemed like he barely pulled it at all, but he did so with every amount of energy he had in him. Eric's heart was beating irregularly fast.

Eric was in extreme pain, the pain slowly went down in his arm, but it was going so slowly, and he wondered when it would stop.

It was like the wheel on 'The Price Is Right'. It finally got down to an immensely, but tolerable pain. Eric let out groaning breaths as he put his hand over his heart and created a motion of circles to comfort his heart. Low gasping and rapid panting are heard from Eric.

Out of the corner of his eye, the small girl is there. Smiling patiently, her knees were tucked up to her chest, Eric's eyes went to look at her. The girl knew Eric wanted to give up badly, the girl's face continued to look at him and his arm.

Eric wanted to laugh, but couldn't do to the pain.

Eric blinked once, and when he opened them...the girl was gone as if she was never there.

Eric inhaled and exhaled for about a minute. He glanced towards his watch and read the time:** 4:32AM**. He put his knife in his arm, he inhaled sharply and let out a hissing breath as he slid the knife under the nerve.

Eric knew if this nerve was coming out, he had to pull it out quickly. He stood there, with his knife under his nerve, the knife not touching the nerve, it was just under it.

Eric yelled fiercelyand began to pull it towards him: an inch, two inches. Eric's bloodcurdling screams left his mouth, "AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!" Eric yelled as he continued to pul it towards him. It lengthens like pulling a guitar string, pain builds in his body until finally the nerve snaps. And Eric snaps.

The nerve is out.

"AAAAAGGGGGHHHH!" Eric's screams echoed throughout the canyon, he is flailing around screaming with such pain. After pulling his nerve out, it felt like dipping his hand into a bucket of hot, boiling liquid metal.

He couldn't stop screaming, the pain would not go away. His whole arm was on complete fire, and it wouldn't go out.

Eric breathes heavily, gritting through his teeth, saliva shoots out with each heavy breath.

Eric manages to let out a choking gasp at the pain, as it was all Eric could say or do at the moment. Eric's fill with tears at the immense pain, and Eric eye's fill with amazing colors like a 60's Tye-Dye shirt.

Eric could barely see anything in front of him, it looked like flies were flying around in his eyes. Eric was gonna worried he was gonna pass out, he let out wheezing breaths.

Retching, slumps in a heap, head lolling forward, his head buzzing and ringing with trauma. Many colors were dancing around in Eric's eyes.

Eric's head is leaning on the rock, his left hand in front of his face on the rock, he read the time when his eyesight allowed him to: **4:58**.

Eric gasped softly when his watch's digital numbers began to randomly and quickly tick in random numbers. All 4 slots were going in incredibly fast motion, from 1 to 9 and Eric's eyes widened as he watched them go by. Eric froze when he saw the numbers stop...

**60:00**

**59:59**

**59:58**

**59:57**

**59:56**

**59:55  
**

**59:54  
**

**59:53  
**

**59:52  
**

**59:51  
**

**59:50  
**

Eric couldn't explain what he was seeing, he was in far too much pain to smack his watch lightly to fix it. Eric knew it was his mind playing tricks on him, he thought maybe it was God letting him know this was all the time he might have left. His eyes had trouble seeing the digits do to him shaking the way he was. This was his countdown, Eric closed his eyes and opened them to see his watch still had the countdown initiated.

Eric was now breathing in slow, weak spasmodic breaths. The numbers flick fast. There's ten minutes gone in a flash. The numbers didn't hesitate, they didn't miss a second:

**47:50**

**47:49  
**

**47:48  
**

**47:47  
**

**47:46  
**

**47:45  
**

**47:44  
**

**47:43  
**

**47:42  
**

**47:41  
**

**47:40  
**

**47:39  
**

He was leaning back against the wall, shaking uncontrollably, hyperventilating. _"The human body isn't meant to endure this pain...and I'm just some asshole from Wisconsin. I am not meant to be doing this..." _Eric thought.

He closed his eyes for just a second, when he opened them and the girl was there again, her head was leaning against the canyon wall.

The girl smiled at him for the first time in a few hours and Eric noticed the dancing colors in eyes had gone away slightly.

She smiled a million dollar smile.

Eric smiled lightly, his body almost wouldn't allow him to fully smile do to the pain, and then he sighed, he stood there staring at his daughter.

He then grunted in anger and his face went from happy to complete determination.

His adrenaline rush kicked in, and in a matter of seconds he was sawing and cutting angrily at his arm, "Come on..." Eric said angrily as he butchered his arm. Eric is stretching his skin in ways it was never meant to be.

There were very few whole muscles in his arm, and they were decimated as Eric stabbed them angrily.

He kept pushing his arm up and down trying to see if it was loose enough to just pull the remaining contents out. He was doing his actions with such intensity and such quickness.

He quickly put the knife on the rock, and put the sharp blade away, he pulled out the 'Mini-Saw', just a few days ago, a shiver went up his spine from just looking at it, but at this point in time, it was like seeing a cop walk your way as your being mugged and beaten up to save you. He was now cutting violently as he cut downwards, "Get off!" Eric yelled at his arm.

He then felt like liberation was coming for him, it was right on the tip of his tongue. He screamed in anger and pain as he cut into his arm, he could feel it coming off, "Come on!" Eric screamed. He was now leaning back and still sawing at his arm, hoping the second his arm was free, he would fall back.

Eric brought the blade up and down stabbing it into his loose arm.

Eric kept on muttering, "Don't fall sleep." while cutting and twisting his arm to get off. He was cutting in extreme anger...

"Please..."

Eric grunted unexpectedly as he fell backwards, "Ugh!" Eric grunted. But Eric managed to keep his stance, he got his balance and stood there.

**FREE**. His hand, just stuck there, a stump in the crack. He stares at it. He's out here. And his hand is in there. Weird.

Liberation.

Bliss.

He stood there, his mind is now completely blank, he stared, just stared at his arm. He actually cut off his forearm. _Completely. _Eric didn't half ass it, he endured the pain and won against his arm. Eric's eyes slowly went to his severed arm, he just stared at it. Eric's mind was still blank. There wasn't much to think about while looking at his forearm, it was off. Simple as that.

He then groaned quietly as he slowly turned his back to the canyon wall and leaned there...utterly exhausted, Eric shut his eyes taking in what he just did, looking down in immense pain.

Eric's eyes went down to his watch weakly, the numbers had dissipated and went back to his regular time, it read: **5:23AM****...**

He was hunched over clutching his arm, he groaned and looked up, he tried to see his daughter. But no one was there.

Eric was still clutching his arm, Eric kept thinking about how God cut him a lot of slack, despite everything. God showed him his unborn daughter, to give him motivation and courage to cut off his arm.

Erin inhaled, he straightened his body up wards to the standing position Eric looked up to the sky, it was it's own light color orange blue, only a few clouds in the wonderful sky. Eric kept looking up there, hoping to get a certain someone's attention.

Long pause.

"Thank you." Eric softly

Eric looked around hopefully to see Jackie or his daughter, but like before, no one was there.

Eric laughed ever so softly, "I guess I gotta do the rest on my own, huh?" Eric stated, and that was fine. Eric understood God gave him a little push to get going. Eric found it somewhat funny, right when Eric wanted to give up, he saw a vision of his daughter. That was more then motivating enough.

Eric leaned up, no longer hunched over, he was losing blood and had to make a tourniquet. He took a few steps forward and leaned down to his backpack, "Ow..." Eric groaned.

He picked up his sweatshirt out of his backpack, he looked at it to see if it would make a decent tourniquet. He figured it would.

He could tie the two arm sleeves together. And once they were, he could put the arm sleeves around his neck, and put his arm into the torso of the sweatshirt, and have it rest there.

Now he actually had to do it.

He set the sweatshirt on the rock, he had it sprawled out on the rock. He took the right arm sleeve and put it in his teeth, he meanwhile grabbed the left one and lifted it, he wrapped it around the right one and eventually fashioned it into a knot, he put into several knots. He put the sleeves around his neck, he groaned. It hung around his neck, it really did look like a real one you could get at a hospital.

He then put what was left of his right arm into the 'sling' in the sweatshirt, and he let his arm rest. He couldn't get enough of how good it felt. Letting it rest without him holding it up. He then took his left hand and went to the back of his neck to grab the arm sleeve, he pulled it to tighten it and his arm raised up, reducing the amount of blood that came out. His Wisconsin Badger sweatshirt, which was once green, was now engulfed in red. Eric laughed softly, _"It's actually the right color now." _Eric thought to himself.

He started to pack up everything and put in his backpack, he didn't know why but he wanted to leave his video camera out, he set it on the rock. He forgot the knife was dangling from his string in the loop of his once baige cargo shorts, they were now soaked in red. "I look like a damn Lobster." Eric said aloud. Eric then the raised the knife from it's string and lowered it into his pocket.

He had everything packed up, he looked to his camera, he picked it up with his good hand and turned it on. He knew some people might not believe him, that he really cut his arm off. Despite the fact that he was missing it. He flicked it to record.

**Camera P.O.V:**

The camera came on, the first thing in the eye of the camera was showing his severed arm up close. A disturbing shot of his arm, with the 2 bones visible it looked horrid. The thumb was visible and was un-naturally huge, it was by this time, completely gray. Eric panned the camera downwards, to see the muscles that were once in his arm, thrown aside like garbage.

And an obscene amount of blood was everywhere, Eric couldn't believe some blood was where it was, it was everywhere.

Then blackness.

Eric shut it off, he unzipped his backpack and tossed his camera in there. He threw it over his shoulders, his right one howled with pain. He ignored it the best he could. He was all ready to go, nothing was left at the scene that left him Isolated for a whole week, but his arm and the rock that almost doomed him.

Eric then turned to head out the canyon leaving it all behind like it was just another speed bump in life, not knowing if he would live or die.

Eric continued to walk down the narrow passageway. Deeper and deeper he goes, twisting and turning through the scoops of sandstone, his past history of the rock trailing behind him. Specks of blood on the canyon walls. The canyon becomes a chute, increasingly steep, deep and dark.

But at the end, there is a glow of light, pink, red, soft, getting brighter by the step. He pushes forward, having a flashback to when he and Donna sprinted towards each other on the beach, when he went to California for her. He is trying to get to the light, almost running. He hoped to God that once he got to the light, he wouldn't wake up like the dream he had. But this felt so real...it couldn't be some dream. He is almost there, running...

Faster and faster until...

Eric fell to his knees and burst into dazzling midday sun. He looked up as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight, once they had, Eric nearly fell over. Eric was in vision shock, seeing this huge open spaces made him lightheaded, he just spent 7 days isolated in a small slot canyon.

He needed some time for this all to sink in. Once his eyes fully adjusted to the light, Eric crawled on his hand and knee forward. Eric looked up to see vast cliffs are eyeing him from above, he looked forward again and reilized he was on a giant steep sand hill. He rose from his knees. He stood there drinking in the sun, the space. He looks down to see he isn't far from the bottom of this hill.

Eric looked up to the sun, "HA!" Eric yelled ferociously and happily at the same time. Eric hopped around with glee and laughed loudly.

He wanted to stay and get a well needed tan in this glorious sun, but he didn't have time to. He still had to go all the way back to his car, drive all the way to the hospital. It was the middle of the week and he knew no one would be out here. He fell right to his ass in the sitting position. He scooted his way to the incline, "Here we go..." Eric muttered.

Eric pushed himself down the hill, he had that feeling when you're on a roller coaster and your at the top of the 'climax' of it. Eric finally was heading full speed down the hill, his ass kept hitting medium sized rocks, and the bottom came roaring at him, there were very large rocks there. He was halfway down, his ass was on fire from sliding down at such a high speed.

Eric screamed at the pain of him getting burned up on his way down. Eric attempted to dig his feet into the ground to slow down, but it didn't work. He was only about 10 feet from the bottom, his plans were to jump to his feet as soon as the hill met the canyon floor, jumping over the rocks

He did that...but had so much momentum, he lost his footing and was stumbling forward, "Shit!" Eric yelled. He was heading down to the floor, he, on instinct, shifted his weight to the left so wouldn't land on his right arm, which was still in a lot of pain.

"Ooof!" Eric yelled as air exploded out of his chest, "Holy shit..." Eric moaned, he was laying on his left side. He knew he couldn't stay laying down for long, he might fall asleep, he opened his eyes, Eric noticed something odd, Eric was trying to catch his breath, panting he said, "What...?"

He didn't know if it was from the amputation, and it was still making him see things, but he saw all these white lines dancing in all different sides and angles on the canyon wall, which was in the shade, so he was able to see them.

Eric, who was still on his left side, soon noticed it was a reflection, coming from the other wall, opposite the one with the dancing lines. He raised himself slowly, his left arm was in extreme pain while he got up, once to his feet, he turned to the right to try and find out where this was coming from.

And then 20 feet in front of him, was a room in the side of the canyon wall, his mind had an idea of what it might be, but he knew it might be to good to be true. He speed walked towards the room, and the closer he got, the interior of the room came into view.

He noticed on the walls on the inside were the same dancing lines from outside, "Please..." Eric said under his breath.

He was still outside, and he went into the giant open door of the canyon.

The dancing lines were all the over the walls as his eyesight adjusted to the room. And he then laughed loudly in sheer glee, he found it...the whole reason he came here. The Hidden Pool.

He looked at the beauty of the entire room, it was huge. It was almost as if God made this room himself. It was a dome with a medium sized hole at the top, with the sun pouring in the dome and off the water. Which explained the dancing reflections he saw.

Around the hidden pool was the stone ground that went all the way around it, and right across the room from Eric was the ground that made it's way into the pool. He ran around it going to the indent, he came to it. He noticed the indent of the ground that lead into the pool was like a ramp. He slowly walked in, him not caring how wet his shoes got, he laughed loudly The water was an amazing color of blue. He hula hooped out of his back pack and set it against the wall.

He then fell face first into the pool, and drank as much as he could. Just setting new personal records for the amount of water he was drinking. 5 minutes pass, he still is draining the natural pool of it's water.

The sounds coming out of his mouth are half cave-man, half ecstasy.

_Have You Ever Seen the Rain? _by _Creedence Clearwater Revival_ was playing in his head, and it couldn't have fit more perfectly to his situation.

_**Someone told me long ago **__**There's a calm before the storm, **_  
_**I know; **__**It's been comin' for some time. **_  
_**When it's over, so they say, **__**It'll rain a sunny day, **_  
_**I know; **__**Shinin' down like water**_

He dunked his whole entire head under water, "Oh, God." Eric moaned under the water. The air bubbles coming up from under the water. Eric felt his skin take in the water as he did, re hydrating his skin. He raised his head from under the water after an age, "Whoo!" Eric yelled, his gleeful yell echoed in the pool, Eric then crawled on his one hand and knees to his back pack. "Ow..." Eric moaned from the pain in his right arm.

Eric happened to glance up to the stone wall, he saw some writing on it, Eric raised himself to read the writing etched from a rock hammer, and it was deep in the wall:

**"Marla Was Here: 1982"**

Eric laughed softly at the name, it really stuck out to him, it was a rather peculiar name, but it was unique and Eric seemed to like it. Eric shook it off and knelt down to his backpack.

He opened the front zipper to get his water bottle from the other night.

The water bottle was just as thirsty as Eric, he walked back to the pool and fell to his knees, he dunked it back under the surface of the water, "Drink up." Eric told his water bottle. He continued to dunk it and then drink. Feeding his water bottle and himself. Eric sang the lyrics from the song as he drank the water:

**_I want to know, have you ever seen the rain? _**  
**_I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?_**  
**_Comin' down on a sunny day?_**

**_Yesterday, and days before, _****_Sun is cold and rain is hard, _**  
**_I know; _****_Been that way for all my time. _**  
**_'Til forever, on it goes _****_Through the circle, fast and slow, _**  
**_I know; _****_It can't stop, I wonder._**

**_I want to know, have you ever seen the rain? _**  
**_I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?_**

After about 25 minutes of the drinking and singing routine. Eric looked to his watch.

**7:09am...**

"Oh, crap." Eric said as he let his bottle fill one more time, he didn't have much time before it got dark. His car was miles away. He then screwed the cap on again. He then walked out the of the pool and set his water bottle next to his back pack. He then stood up and put the back pack on himself, he was drenched in water, his sweatshirt tourniquet was drenched in water and blood. All his clothes were wet as well. He picked up the water bottle. He checked to make sure he didn't leave anything. He headed towards the naturally made door in the canyon, he stopped and looked back.

It was almost too beautiful to leave, the pool had a look about it that said, _"Come on. Stay for just a little while longer. Drink me." _Eric pictured it say.

Eric knew the pool wasn't as beautiful as Jackie, he nodded his respect to the pool, and turned out back in the daylight and staggered off to his car or to get help.

Little did he know, help was looking for him already. The help just had to hope that they could find him between 337,598 acres of space in Canyonlands, Utah.

_End of this chapter, my right arm ironically hurts from writing in this position on the laptop. Can't wait to write the next one. So let me know what you thought! =)_


	14. Spiritualized

_I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you like this one as well..._

_Previously..._

_**"FREE**. His hand, just stuck there, a stump in the crack. He stares at it. He's out here. And his hand is in there. Weird." _

_The Mesa Arch, Canyonlands Utah, 7:30am..._

Red wandered around waiting for Charlie to get the helicopter started, Red had a tough time getting to sleep last night. Red had a feeling his only son was in trouble, that he was hurt, Red didn't like thinking about the other possibility of Eric being dead. Red regretted insulting his son, and making fun of him, he couldn't imagine how Eric felt after each insult Red threw at him.

Charlie called his name and Kelso was sitting in the back, as the blades of the helicopter started up. Red walked over having the guilt of not treating his son better.

_Horseshoe Canyon in Canyonlands, Utah..._

Eric knew having to carry his whole backpack would be insane, he left it right outside the pool entrance. Eric left his camera in the backpack, he knew it was too big to carry it with him. Eric knew it would be a dumbass thing to carry, he shed everything that would weigh him down except the bottle with water in it.

Eric wheezed as he walked on, clutching his svered arm. Eric felt so dehydrated he had to keep water in his mouth as walked in the blistering heat to avoid passing out. Eric walked on and on, limping with every step, Eric wanted to restso bad, but knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to get back up. Eric moaned in pain as he walked up a hill, "Oh, God." Eric grunted. Eric's knee gave out when he walked up, he quickly picked himself up to avoid falling asleep, Eric shouted in pain as he reached the top of it.

Eric looked up to see he had nothing but flat land as far as could see, Eric walked on hunched over holding his arm. Eric continued on for the next hour in extreme pain, groaning in pain with each step. Eric sighed happily when he encountered some shade of the 500 foot wall towering over him, he stopped when he noticed something on the right wall. Eric staggered over to it, he knew this was known as 'The Great Gallery', the wall had dozens of broad-shouldered figures painted on the wall from strangers from about 3000 years ago. Eric laughed softly, despite the fact he cut off his arm, this was a pretty good day. Eric saw the paintings that went on for quite a distance, Eric continued to walk on, he admired the paintings as he limped on wards.

_1 Hour_ Later...

Kelso sat in the helicopter, he had some binoculars in his hands as he tried to see anything out of the ordinary that might be Eric. Kelso then noticed the giant boob that he saw in Eric's book, Kelso pointed and shouted at the dome that he knew was the Hidden Pool. Charlie tried to find some space to land the helicopter so Red and Kelso could try to find something, or Eric. Kelso was the first out of the helicopter as he ran over and shouted Eric's name a couple times. Red jogged over and entered the Hidden Pool, Red wasn't a mushy guy, but seeing the beauty of the pool amazed him. Outside of the dome, Kelso noticed tiny drops of what appeared to be blood. Kelso looked around the ground to see the trail led off to the north, Kelso turned to tell Red, but he saw a black backpack. Kelso ran over and picked it up, it wasn't covered in dirt or sand so it was pretty recent to be here. Kelso set it down, he then noticed blood on his hands, Kelso looked over the backpack to see much of it had blood on it.

Inside, Red saw some blood on the walls of the dome

Kelso opened the zipper and the first thing he saw was a medium sized camera, Kelso picked it up. He noticed it too had a lot of blood on it, Kelso then saw Red coming over, "What is that?" Red asked.

Kelso looked up, "Red, this has blood on it." Kelso replied.

Red kneeled down, and he examined the backpack, Kelso still had the camera, he and Red went back to the helicopter. Red went through the backpack and his eyes widened when he saw the bloody pocket knife that he knew was his. Red picked it up and his heart raced as he didn't think Eric would have this, Red wondered why it was so bloody. Kelso saw it as he got in the helicopter, "Red, I know you don't wanna hear it, but I think Eric is in trouble." Kelso stated, getting back in the helicopter. Red simply nodded to Kelso's statement.

_2 Hours Later..._

Eric was getting weaker and flies were all around him, he hadn't showered in almost a week, he was covered in blood, he was missing his forearm. Which by now was getting infected, Eric wheezed and looked for something to sit on. He found a rock, and he sat on it and took his PF Flyer off of his left foot. He slid his sock off, Eric stood up to avoid falling asleep, his plan was to put what was left of his severed forearm into his sock, so flies wouldn't go into it. Eric groaned as he attempted to raise his arm. Eric gagged when he saw his forearm and how disgusting it looked, Eric shouted in pain as he slid it on.

"Fuck!" Eric yelled as he got it on, he lowered his arm into his sweatshirt sling, Eric wasted no time getting back to business and walking off, not bothering to put his shoe back on. Eric sniffed and huffed urging himself to go on, Eric continued on for what seemed like an etirnity to him. Eric was breathing and panting heavily.

Eric's legs felt like jello, Eric kept thinking back to the canyon and seeing his daughter, the thought kept encouraging him to go on. Eric hunched over clutching his arm, groaning with pain, as he walked for another 10 minutes, Eric then began to jog slowly to hurry things up, and to get his body going again. Eric let out a wheezing gasp as he fell forward and collasped, Eric's hearing capabilities were replaced with a loud ringing noise, Eric raised himself to his knees at least. Eric saw long shawdows on the ground, they had to above him, he looked from his degraded stance and saw three vultures above him flying in tight circles. Eric knew that wasn't good, they were just waiting till he died to strike at him.

Eric was pratically gasping for breath, he reached in his pocket to get his inhaler, he held it up to his mouth, he attempted to inhale it deeply, but he coughed, he did it again and his chest felt much better. Eric then heard faintly the vultures squawking over the high ringing in his ears, he yelled as he used most his engergy to raise himself to his feet. Eric continued to wheeze as he walked a few steps forward, mumbling random nothings as he was delirious, things about rainbows and Star Wars. Eric's vision now was making everything shake and shimmer, it made rocks come out of their shape and shake around it. Eric thought about what thing would be like if he got out of this place, Eric would ask the people at work, "What did you do this weekend? Oh, you guys got drunk? I cut my own arm off." Eric laughed softly at his humor.

The Walker Brother's 'The Sun Ain't Gonna Rise Anymore' played in his head, the song was uplifting and gave him butterflies in his chest as he walked in pain, hoping to make it out of here alive,

Eric tried not to think of how far his car was, he knew no one would be out here in the week. Eric thought about the fact that he lived the life of a coward, so if he was gonna die, he was happy and proud of himself for pushing himself and not giving up. Eric wheezed with each breath as he pushed himself to keep going. Eric raised his head and saw something that got his attention.

Eric noticed something very strange in front of him, about 70 yards ahead was three figures that appeared to be moving with more uniqueness then other things around him. Eric stopped with the occasional few steps as his mind tried to process what it was, there were two small figures with another one, but much shorter then the other two, Eric's panted as he squinted his eyes to see, his eyes widened when he saw they were people.

Eric suddenly was very awake and filled with energy, he took a few steps forward and tried to shout but nothing came out of his mouth. Eric tried to scream that 'H' word to get their attention.

"Help..." Eric tired to scream with all his energy, but only came out as a whisper. Eric held up his left and arm to attempt to wave them down or get their attention. Eric closed his eyes and tried to find something in him to scream, he found himself back in the slot canyon, looking at Jackie and their daughter on the yellow couch. Eric opened his eyes and looked up to see they were dots in the distance, the coulds of dust around their legs.

Eric couldn't find his voice, Eric quickly downed the last of his water which wasn't much, but enough to wetten his throat to scream, Eric inhaled, "HELP!" Eric yelled, even on Eric's best day, he would never be able to yell as loud as he just did. His cry for help echoed throuh out the area.

The three figures stopped and looked at each other, they turned to where they heard the shout for help.

Eric waved his left arm frantically, "PLEASE! HELP ME!" Eric continued to yell still waving his left arm, he could see he had the people's attention as they took a few steps in his direction.

Eric took some steps forward, "I..." Eric started but his voice was hoarse, after a terrible pause, he found his voice again, "I NEED HELP! OVER HERE!" Eric shouted, the figures began to run towards him. Eric smiled lightly as they ran towards him, his body filled with goosebumps. Eric was almost speechless to see people, he hadn't seen any in a week, except in his dreams.

As they came within a few feet of him, Eric spoke, "My name is Eric-Eric Forman. On Saturday a boulder fell on my arm and I was trapped, I've been with out food and water for a whole week." Eric explained, the three people approached him with a look of shock on their faces, it was a women, a man, and a small boy.

Eric panted, "Please don't leave me, this morning I cut my arm off." Eric stated, the sound of it echoed in his ears. Eric saw the clear bottle of water they had, the sun could be seen thorugh it, "Could I have some of your water? Please?" Eric asked.

The moment was broken as they all hurried to give him water, the women undid the cap and handed it to Eric.

"Thank you." Eric said kindly, but with a bit of pain, he chugged the whole thing ignoring any swallowing mechanisms.

Eric downed the last of their bottles of water, "Please don't leave me here." Eric pleaded, the man finally spoke up, "I'm a marine, don't worry, we won't leave you." the burly man said.

Eric laughed softly, "Oh, that's great..." Eric said in his raspy voice, having a marine here with him made him gaini more hope.

Eric eat the Oreo cookied they had, and the rest of the water they offered him. The family helped walk with him forward, Eric seemed to be walking a little faster then the well meaning but freaked out family.

Eric turned to them as they walked on, "Do you have a car nearby?" Eric asked.

The man answered, "No. My wifes grandmother dropped us off for the day." the man replied. The family found it strange as how brutally pratical Eric was being.

Eric huffed, the women spoke up, "Are you the man who has been missing?" the women asked.

Eric was now confused, "Uh yeah, I think. How did you know I was missing?" Eric asked her, as Eric continued to walk.

"You're all over the news...and this park ranger said there was a car that had been parked here for a week, and that the owner was missing." the women replied.

"We joked that we would keep our eyes open." The man spoke up. Eric laughed lightly.

Eric groaned, as his body had a pulsating pain go through his body, "Can I stop and rest?" Eric asked, clutching his arm as they pain wouldn't fade away, it kept larger with scolding pain.

Chris took his arm, "No, you gotta keep going, if you stop you won't get back up." Chris scolded him. Eric groaned, but he knew Crhis was only trying to help him, and that's what Eric asked for.

Eric frantically reached for his pocket, "Here. I own a Black Ford Bronco..." Eric said, handing him the keys he had in his pocket, "Could you run ahead, and bring it here?" Eric asked.

"Honey, I'll help him walk and you can run the fastest, okay?" The husband said, the women ran forward and did their child with her.

Eric was panting and didn't know how much longer his body could hold up. Eric saw the mother and her child stop and they appeared to be talking to someone. Eric then saw another couple of 2 run towards him, the mother filled them in on Eric's situation. Eric heard some shuffling to his left, and saw a big group of people, curious as to what was going on.

"This guy has cut off his arm, he needs some help and water." Chris said in a ordering tone that made Eric slightly embarrased, he wanted help from the other people, not scare them away.

Eric laughed, no one was around for 7 days and now people were turning up like London buses. The group of people who just came around looked in horror at Eric. Eric gradually took the available water they had given him.

Eric just drank 3 bottles of water, Eric gasped as he finished his third bottle, a man walked up frantically, "I'm John, I have some medical practice." the new man spoke up.

"Is it okay to drink so much water?" Eric asked as they walked on, with the other people behind them, "Yes, it is...just don't vomit." John replied.

Eric drank the rest of the people's water, as they walked on, Eric began to feel his body tighten up, he couldn't explain it. Eric coughed up blood, and fell to his knees, "I have to get the sand out of my shoe." Eric said as he shifted to sit down. Eric then heard the ringing in his ears again, and he didn't hear anything but.

Kelso was looking on, still not giving up hope on finding Eric. Kelso then saw two people waving their arms frantically, "Red, look!" Kelso shouted as he hit Red's shoulder to get his attention. Red saw the woman and her son waving their arm and pointing somewhere just over a tall cliff. Charlie raised the altitude of the helicopter and went over the cliff, they all saw about 8 people kneeling down and huddled, having their attention to something on the ground, but they couldn't see what it was. When the people heard the helicopter whirring, they began waving their arms frantically waving it down, then Red saw the 'something' the people had their attention to, a figure sitting down, hunched over on the ground.

Eric's heart slowed as Chris, who still had his attention on Eric, tied his shoe, Eric was hunched over sitting down, Eric could feel his body shutting down right then. This was something that Eric's spirit or heart couldn't control, his body had lost an obscene amount of blood, all the water he just drank couldn't help him. The people noticed Eric's head going down very slowly, it scared them as he was falling alseep, his eyes were closed. The people began to shout to Eric to wake up, and they were shaking him.

Chris had his attention on Eric, then he finally noticed the helicopter, "Eric, wake up!" Chris shouted, the overlapping shouts for him to get up were unheard by Eric, he knew he wasn't gonna make it, he was proud of himself that he didn't give up as long as he could, he kept going and he cut off his own arm, and made it as long as his body would hold up. Tears came down Eric's cheek at the thought of leaving Jackie, his mother and father, and his unborn daughter. Eric listened to 'Tha Crossroads' by 'Bone Thugz and Harmony' to usher him or segue him into the afterlife.

"Get up!" Eric heard voices yell, Eric then heard some familer voices, "Eric, get up!" Eric heard a voice...it was Kelso.

Eric then heard a voice he never thought he heard of his father, "Son, you need to get up." Red stern, but concearned voice said. Eric opened his eyes and was staring at ground, he saw the dirt blow all around him, also with a very strong wind. Eric looked up to see his father shaking him, with Kelso behind him, and behind Kelso was a helicopter. Red seemed happy and relieved to see his son and to see him alive.

Red grabbed his left arm, "Come on, you need to get to the hospital." Red said, Kelso then came to Eric's right side and grabbed his arm, nor Red or Kelso knew he cut it off.

"AGGGGHHH!" Eric yelled in pain when Kelso grabbed his right arm to pull him up. Red then saw the blood and he turned to Chris, "What happened?" Red asked.

Chris stammered, "Uh, he told us he had to cut it off." Chris replied. Red's eyes widened, he never expected Eric to do something so drastic.

Eric seemed to be staring off at the helicopter, "So is that helicopter for me? Can I have a ride?" Eric asked weakly. Red actaully missed his son's smartass comments.

Red helped him up, and led him to the helicopter, Eric turned back and thanked the group of people for their help and then got onto the helicopter seat.

The seats were nice white leather ones, "I think I'm gonna mess up the seats up..." Eric said, Kelso laughed as he saw Eric futsing with the seat belt.

Kelso sat next to him on the seat, "Need a hand, buddy?" Kelso asked, helping him with the seat belt.

Eric laughed, "Yeah, I do actually..." Eric replied with a smile, he watched as the helicopter gained height.

_I hope you liked this chapter, please leave a review! P.S I know Tha Crossroads didn't come out until 1997, but I just watched Pineapple Express, and the scene with Red made me laugh so I thought it would be cool to put in._


	15. If I Rise

_Thanks for sticking with me this far...=)_

The next thing Eric remembered, he saw all the white walls of the hospital, he heard his fathers swearing and cursing at the doctors to do a good job. Eric saw for a short time his father looking down at him from the gurney, he tried to keep track of how many times his father said he loved him, but he lost count. After a short while he saw a blurry scene of his friends he could see Donna's blonde hair, Kelso's brown hair and he even could make out Brooke's. He saw Hyde's curly hair, he then saw his mother's trademark hair style. Eric smiled, he loved seeing his friends and family but he never saw a certain brunette's color. Eric then fell into a deep sleep despite the fact he wanted to stay up and be with his family.

Eric was greeted by medics. Needles, care, machines, tubes. Eric opened his eyes to see a white ceiling with lights fastly passing him by, he heard strange voices, his eyesight was very blurry. Eric heard the doctors shouting that he had cut his own arm off and needed surgery. Eric tried to stay awake longer, but he was given some drugs to help him sleep. Eric had lost 40 pounds, with 25% of it being his own blood volume.

Eric opened his eyes slowly, his vision was very blurry, he was able to make out a figure, "Hey." Kitty's voice said.

Eric smiled, "Hey." Eric said weakly. It amazed him how much he missed his mother.

Kitty storked his head gently, "My boy. My only boy." Kitty stated, still smiling.

His mother spoke again, "How are you feeling?"

Eric laughed, "I feel great." Eric said, Kitty knew he meant that he was, and wasn't being a smart ass. Eric saw how weary she looked from worry and concern for him.

Kitty laughed, "You've been asleep for two days." Kitty replied, "It reminded me of your whole 'year off' plan, remember that?" Kitty asked.

Eric laughed weakly, "Oh, God. Don't remind me." Eric joked.

"I'm never going hiking again, I promise." Eric said weakly.

Kitty laughed softly, "Oh, I can't say I'm dissapointed to hear that." Kitty teased him.

Kitty laughed, "Oh." Kitty said, pausing to get something from under the hospital bed.

Kitty came up from the bed with Eric's camera, Eric groaned, he didn't want them to see it if he made it. Eric was embarrased and hoped they didn't watch it.

Kitty set the camera on the side of the hospital bed, she then looked at Eric, "You're just like your father, you both have a soft side." Kitty teased him.

Eric chuckled, "Yeah." Eric said, he then paused, "But dad wouldn't wander so far from home for so long...away from his family." Eric replied.

Kitty nodded, "Eric, you were so young when that whole thing happened, you just didn't know how to deal with it." Kitty replied, taking his hand.

Eric gave her a weak, confused look, "What?" Eric asked.

Kitty smiled, "Eric, you mentioned it on the camera," Kitty said tapping it, "And Jackie told me beforehand." Kitty replied.

Eric stared at her, he hadn't thought about Jackie in two days and it just hit him, "Oh..." Eric simply stated, he smiled slightly remembering his premonition of his daughter.

Kitty smiled at him again, "Jackie said you were so supportive, I was glad to hear that." Kitty replied.

Eric had to tell his mother about what he saw, "Mom...right before I did it, I..." Eric started. Eric slowly sat up, using only his left arm, he glanced to his right arm. It had bandages and it was numb from the medication.

Kitty noticed he was trying to sit up, she took the bed remote and controlled the bed and made it raised up, like a recliner, "Don't tell anyone about this, execept dad, if you want to. Right before I cut it off, I saw this little girl, I thought she was Betsy at first. She was sitting on the couch from the living room." Eric started, Kitty didn't figure out that he saw his own daughter, and her future granddaughter.

Eric noticed a glass of water on the side table, he picked it up downed the whole thing, he was never gonna take water for granted again.

Eric looked back to his mother, "It was my daughter, mom." Eric stated, knowing his mother would be extatic to hear that, and she was.

"Oh! My baby is gonna have a baby!" Kitty said wrapping her arms around him, Eric laughed, "Mom, you gotta keep that down." Eric said as she pulled back and sat on the chair beside the bed.

Eric left out the part where he saw Jackie, Eric looked around the room to see that no one else was in there.

"Hey, mom. I know I wasn't a good friend to everyone, but are you and dad the only ones here?" Eric asked, resting his head on the pillow. Eric couldn't remember seeing his friends before the surgery.

Kitty laughed, still giddy with exitement from the news she just heard, "Oh, no. Everyone is here, they are right outside in the waiting room. Even Aunt Paula." Kitty replied, "Your father is just making sure I'm the only one in here, but is there someone else you want to see?" Kitty asked in a teasing way, referring to Jackie.

Eric laughed softly, "Yeah, could you send her in?" Eric asked, Kitty smiled at him and nodded.

"I really missed you, mom. And I'm sorry about all of this." Eric said.

Tears came his mother's face, she leaned forward and hugged him, "I'm just glad you're home." Kitty replied.

Kitty pulled away, as she sat up to go to the door, Eric spoke, "I love you, mom." Eric said.

"I love you too." Kitty replied with a loving smile.

Eric watched as she shut the door, Eric then was extremely nervous about seeing Jackie again, he felt like he was in high school again. Eric worried that she would shoot him down, she had every right to.

Kitty walked in the waiting room, still smiling from the news of her being a grandmother, not yet...but in time. Everyone stood up, Kitty walked over to Jackie, "He wants to see you." Kitty said happily.

Jackie too was nervous, she felt like she was in high school again, she felt all the eyes of her friends on her, "Okay." Jackie replied simply. Jackie reluctantly walked out of the waiting room. Kitty immediately grabbed aunt Paula's arm, "I have to tell you something!" Kitty said in an overly exited tone. Kitty knew she told Eric she wouldn't say anything, but she had to Aunt Paula she was gonna be another aunt.

Hyde followed Kitty and stopped her, "Hey, Mrs Forman. Um, I'm really sorry how I acted before, it just took me by surprise, so I'm really sorry about that." Hyde stated with genuine truthfullness.

Kitty smiled and pulled him in a hug, "Oh, it's okay, Steven. I can understand that so don't worry." Kitty replied.

Hyde pulled back, "Um, Donna is still upset about the whole Jackie and Eric thing so she won't apologize for a while now." Hyde stated, Kitty laughed, "Well, that's fine. But come with me, Eric told me great news!" Kitty said taking his arm with her and Aunt Paula. After Kitty gave Hyde the news, he strangely found himself happy for his friend.

Jackie walked down the hall, her heart was racing and she told herself to calm down. She came to his room and took a deep breath before peering in the window, she saw Eric and could tell he was equally nervous, she couldn't believe how good Eric looked even though he was missing an arm, well a forearm. Jackie was shocked when she found out the news about what he did, but that didn't stop her love for him, she didn't care he was missing an arm, she still loved him. Jackie told herself to do all this slowly, and not to be too nervous and to be cool about this.

Jackie opened the door, she felt her whole plan of 'being cool' go out the window. Jackie looked at him as his eyes met hers, she burst into tears as she shut the door, she ran towards him and wrapped him in a hug with no intention of letting go. Jackie cried as she clung to him, Eric instinctively wrapped his arm around her as she hugged him as she sat on the bed. Jackie bawled as she clung to him, "I love you, Eric." Jackie said through the tears.

Eric smiled at hearing that, "I love you too, Jackie. I never stopped." Eric said, Jackie pulled her head back and kissed him longingly, something she had wanted to do since Kitty told her a week ago he was coming back into town. Jackie cupped his face and contiued to kiss him, Jackie moaned happily as their kiss was long overdue. Jackie's heart raced at kissing him again after all these years, and the longest week of her life.

Jackie pulled back, "Don't you ever do that again, Eric." Jackie said, kissing him on the lips again and again.

Eric laughed, "I promise, Jackie. I love you." Eric said kissing her yet again.

Jackie smiled and brushed her tears away, she looked to his arm, "Eric, Red and Kelso weren't that far away, you didn't have to do this." Jackie said, motioning to his arm.

Eric shook his head, "No Jackie, I had to. They wouldn't have found me, not where I was." Eric replied.

"Well, why did you cut it off when you did? I mean, the rangers said they might have found you that day, they were close." Jackie said, still having her arms around him.

"They _might _have, Jackie. That's not close enough, I wouldn't take that risk. I had to get out of there." Eric said.

"Well, what made you get enough guts to do that? I mean, cutting off your own arm is pretty drastic." Jackie stated.

Eric laughed, "I had more then enough motivation, there was all my friends and family...and you especially." Eric said, he left out the vision he had because he didn't want to rush their relationship. They had always done things too fast, he might tell her after and if his premonition came true.

"Think about it like a fox who gets caught in a bear trap, and has to chew off his paw to get out." Eric assured.

Tears came down her cheeks again, "I've missed you so much, Eric. I want to be with you again, I don't care what it takes." Jackie stated, she had wanted to say that for years now, but never found herself to say it.

Eric kissed her again, "Me too, I've wanted that for a long time." Eric replied, "I mean, I thought about you every day there...and like, every day before that." Eric said, Jackie laughed and kissed him again.

"I promise, I'll never put you through something like this again, I promise." Eric said, Jackie just kissed him again.

"Eric, I wanna marry you. In time or when the moment is right." Jackie said resting her forehead against his.

Eric smiled, "You're not gonna get mushy on me are ya?" Eric teased, Jackie laughed, "Shut up." and on accident hit his right arm, making Eric yell in pain.

Jackie gasped, "Sorry!" Jackie said, Eric shook his head, "No, I guess I had deserved that..." Eric replied.

**Epilogue:**

_Over the next week, Eric was met with overwhelming publicity and fame about what happened. His story was on the news, and in papers. During that week Hyde and Donna had come to terms with the idea of Jackie and Eric being together, they would be idiots not to see that they were very much in love with each other. Eric of course had problems with his severed arm, he attended physical therapy to help with it._

_The next month Eric was dubbed 'Time Magazine's Man Of The Year', a plaque he was more then proud of to hang up in his new home in Point Place he shared with Jackie. Only a few blocks down from his parents. Jackie and Eric took their time in their relationship and couldn't be happier with each other._

_It took 13 men, a winch and a hydraulic jack to move the trapped boulder, so that Eric's arm could be removed. It was cremated and given to Eric, he and Jackie both returned to scene, of course leaving a note saying where they had gone just in case, and Eric spread the ashes over the scene, where he thought it rightfully belonged. Eric was seen on many talk shows and all his appearences were respnsible for high ratings they recieved. Each time he went on he earned about 15 grand for each appearence._

_In the fall of October 1986, Jackie's favorite season, although Eric liked the winter for her. Eric finally proposed to Jackie, with her saying yes. The wedding was held 3 months later, with Betsy as the little flower girl, and Kelso as his best man._

_And Eric's premonition came true in 1988, Eric and Jackie's daughter, Marla, was born. Jackie never understood why Eric picked that name, but nonetheless, Jackie liked it. Eric enjoyed watching his and Jackie's daughter grow up, Marla looked just as she did in his premonition 4 years ago._

_In 1988, Eric had his own movie made about him, with none other then Mark Hamill portraying him in the film. The film won Mark Hamill an Oscar, and the film itself was well recived by critics as well as a box office hit._

_On a regular day that same year, Eric and Jackie and their daughter were house sitting at his childhood home, while Red and Kitty were on vacation. Eric still continued to have a hobby for taking pictures, so he told Jackie and his daughter to sit on the couch to take a picture just for the heck of it._

_Jackie sat on the couch with her daughter and smiled down at her as she leaned into her, Marla was wearing her blue overalls and her purple striped shirt, also with her pink and white sneakers. Eric looked at the scene in front of him through the camera lens, and was ready to take the picture. Eric pulled back from the lens, and looked at the scene of Jackie and Marla looking at him smiling, he pulled the file of his internal memory of the vision he had on that morning 4 years a ago. The scene in front of him was identical to the premonition he had all those mornings ago. The same outfit Jackie had in the vision was the same one she was wearing now. Marla was wearing the same blue overalls, purple striped shirt, and her with the and pink sneakers. Both their brunette hair was the same as it was 4 years ago, as was the way they were sitting in the motherly daughter embrace._

_Jackie spoke, "Is something wrong?" Jackie asked._

_Eric was choked up, "No. Nothing, you two just look really beautiful. I love you both." Eric replied as he snapped the picture._

**_The End..._**

_Well, that was it, and this was my first finished story. And I hoped you liked the shout out to Marla's Lost, she definately write the best JE work. And thanks to all the readers who read and liked this story! Special thanks to TopherGirl0102 and Marla's Lost and all other reader who liked this work._

_Again, no disrespect is intended to 127 Hours or Aron Ralston, this is simply for entertainment._

_P.S. I might make a follow up sequel, just a one shot in time..._


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